Puerto Rico: A Nation, a Country, or a Sovereign State?

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Puerto Rico: A Nation, a Country, or a Sovereign State?

Can Puerto Rico be a cultural nation without being an independent country? What was the legal status of Puerto Ricans between the U.S. takeover in 1898 and the collective grant of U.S. citizenship in 1917?

Join Edwin Ortiz for a historical explainer separating cultural identity, citizenship, autonomy, and sovereignty. We follow the timeline from Indigenous Borikén through Spanish rule, the autonomous government of 1897–1898, Puerto Rican territorial citizenship, and the citizenship legislation of 1917.

We also examine Juan Mari Brás’s renunciation dispute and a distinction often missed in online debates: renouncing U.S. citizenship and claiming a right to remain in Puerto Rico are separate questions.

Watch, share, and join the conversation: What do you mean when you say “nuestro país”?

Read more and explore our episodes on Substack: https://puertoricoopenyoureyes.substack.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PuertoRicoOpenYourEyes

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RLJrBUuligvF675jKmVJO

Podcast episodes and listening platforms: https://rss.com/podcasts/puerto-rico-open-your-eyes/

Our website: https://puertoricoabranlosojos.com/

Access our mobile app: https://app.puertoricoabranlosojos.com/

The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative: https://tnprsi.org/

Proyecto Puerto Rico en España: https://proyectopuertoricoenespana.com/

TNPRSI on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582909199852

Proyecto Puerto Rico en España on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578796271848

Support Proyecto Puerto Rico en España: https://www.crowdfunder.com/p/project-puerto-rico-in-spain

Contact: puertoricoopenyoureyes@gmail.com

Hosted by Edwin Ortiz, President of The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative.

#PuertoRico #PuertoRicoOpenYourEyes #PuertoRicanHistory #Citizenship #Sovereignty #CulturalIdentity #CartaAutonomica #JuanMariBras