PUERTO RICO NEWS REPORT 

Jamie Leonard Off the Coast of St. Croix - The Puerto Rico Trench is the deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean and one of the most geologically complex regions on the planet. It stretches nearly 800 miles - roughly the distance from Boston to Chicago - running east-west across the northern edge of the Caribbean. This vast undersea gorge passes north of Puerto Rico, continuing past the U.S. Virgin Islands, and arcs out into the open Atlantic. At its deepest known point, called t

M.A. Dworkin San Juan, P.R. - As part of Operation Southern Spear, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) has been deployed to the Roosevelt Roads military base in Puerto Rico, and is now classified as the “immediate crisis response force” in Latin America. Roughly 1,300 Marines from the 24th MEU are “officially” on hand to deal with the U.S. Pentagon’s ongoing mission to stem drug trafficking in the region. While MEUs often are embarked on Navy amphibious ships, th

M.A. Dworkin USVI - The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has agreed to meet with Governor Albert Bryan Jr. to address concerns over recent orders affecting the M/V Water Spirit II and BVI M/V Admirals Pride, two cargo vessels that help move food, refrigerated goods, vehicles, appliances, construction materials, industrial parts, and other essential items between Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The issue involves Captain of the Port orders issued on April 30, 2026, directing

M.A. Dworkin San Juan, PR - Coast Guard Sector San Juan announced Saturday, May 9, 2026, that Captain of the Port Orders were issued to two Togo-flagged multipurpose offshore vessels for obstructing the navigable San Antonio Channel of San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico, while moored at Pier 10, May 1, 2026. Until further notice, vessels Water Spirit 2 and Admiral Pride will not be cleared to re-enter San Juan Harbor unless they demonstrate to the Coast Guard their ability t

The History of the Puerto Rican Flag John F. McKeon A national flag is more than a cut of fabric or hue of color; it is the embodiment of a nation's history and of its values. A flag serves as a testament to collective struggles, triumphs, and aspirations, and represents the shared identity and sovereignty of its people. Through symbolism, flags encapsulate the sacrifices of the past while providing a unifying beacon for future generations. Throughout its complex hist

M.A. Dworkin San Juan - There is a growing movement in Puerto Rico to break away from the United States and rejoin Spain, more than a century after it parted ways with the European country. There are currently several proposals spearheaded by a movement called Adelante Reunificacionistas, that may sound fringe at first, but its message is gaining quite a bit of traction in the hinterlands of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico fell under U.S. sovereignty in 1898 following the Spanish

M.A. Dworkin San Juan, PR - The U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) has approved a $2.5 billion project to build a 150km, 700 MW HVDC submarine cable that will link the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, allowing Puerto Rico to import electricity from a new Dominican natural gas plant. The project, which recently received a Presidential permit from the U.S. Department of Energy, is expected to start construction in 2027 and be completed in 2031. It will integrate both th

John F. McKeon It is impossible to analyze the modern status of Puerto Rico as a US territory without first establishing the pivotal context of the Spanish-American War of 1898, as this conflict represents the definitive rupture in the island’s history that shifted its sovereignty from Spain to the United States. The war, culminating in the Treaty of Paris in December 1898, directly forced Spain to cede Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the US, transforming Puerto Ri

John F. McKeon The Puerto Rican independence movement is one of the longest standing anti-colonial struggles in the Western Hemisphere, spanning over 150 years across two different imperial powers. From the 19th-century revolts against Spain to modern-day political alliances, the movement has consistently sought full sovereignty for the island. Isolated historical events are rare, as history functions more like a cascading chain reaction. One development inevitably infor