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It appears that the possibility of Puerto Rico facing an invasion from Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is being regarded earnestly by Gov. Jenniffer González Colón.
The governor has called on President-elect Donald Trump to take measures following Maduro’s seemingly rhetorical threats of invading the U.S. territory with the military assistance of another South American nation.
In a correspondence addressed to Trump, González Colón remarked, “[J]ust a few days after conducting an illegitimate swearing-in ceremony in a desperate bid to maintain power in Venezuela,” Maduro “openly suggested an invasion of Puerto Rico,” as reported by Fox News.
Maduro, who recently assumed a third six-year term as president despite widespread international condemnation regarding the legitimacy of his reelection, issued the threat during the “International Anti-Fascist Festival” in Caracas over the weekend. He alluded to Trump’s remarks on U.S. interests in the Panama Canal and Greenland, stating, “Just as the North has a colonization agenda, we have a liberation agenda.”
Maduro asserted that the “freedom of Puerto Rico is at stake, and we will attain it with the help of Brazilian forces,” according to Latin America Reports.
González Colón stressed to Trump that this poses “an open threat to the United States, our national security, and regional stability.” She expressed her belief that his administration would react firmly, indicating to the Maduro regime that under his leadership, the United States would safeguard American lives and sovereignty, refusing to submit to the threats posed by “petty, murderous dictators.”
In her letter, the governor pointed out that Puerto Rico has been an “integral part of the United States” since 1898. She reminded Trump that Puerto Ricans received American citizenship in 1917 and have made significant contributions to American society, particularly in military service, with many serving alongside fellow citizens in every U.S. military conflict since World War I.
“In defiance of Maduro’s calls for independence and those of other adversaries, the citizens of Puerto Rico have consistently rejected this path. Instead, we have chosen to solidify our union with the United States through statehood — most recently in the November 5, 2024, plebiscite held concurrently with our general elections,” González Colón articulated.
The outcomes of the non-binding referendum revealed that 56.87% supported U.S. statehood, while 12.29% favored “free association with the United States,” and 30.84% opted for independence.
