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Many people I meet have a hard time understanding the anger that exists towards the United States among nationalists in Puerto Rico. One of the big heroes of the fight for Puerto Rican independence in the 20th century was Pedro Albizu Campos, a Harvard educated lawyer and leader of the Nationalist Party. He died in 1965 after suffering a stroke in prison.

Check out the trailer for a new documentary film that explains who he is: ¿Quien es Albizu Campos?

Members rejoice. President of PuertoDansk, Solana Larsen, is interviewed by British newspaper The Guardian about Denmark and Puerto Rico being scientifically proven to be some of the happiest places in the world.

Guardian journalist Oliver Burkeman concludes: “I’ve joined the society, and look forward to becoming permanently joyful soon.”

Check the updates on the PuertoDansk website.

Residents of Puerto Rico, Washington DC, Guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa won a symbolic victory yesterday when the Democratic House voted to give limited voting rights to the political representatives of these “territories”.

It’s a symbolic measure which only lets them vote on ammendments, and never lets them decide the outcome on any vote, but at least it’s a nod in the direction of more democracy – even if it is condescending and doesn’t address core injustices.

“It’s representation without taxation,” say Republicans who are unhappy with the outcome. I suppose colonization without self-determination is better?

I tried to explain to him the importance of the Danish-Puerto Rican Society, but he just patted me on the back and said, that’s nice. I think he wanted to get back to his drink. I’ll have to put him on a t-shirt now. Or a flyer.

I’m in Puerto Rico right now. I did a quick note for the oD blog on what politics looks like here at the moment.

I’ve been strolling around a Danish new media conference today, representing openDemocracy, and actually relishing the opportunity to talk and think about future strategies and ideas. This is me, being interviewed for a Danish podcast. The geeks among you will be excited to hear, that Doc Searls might become the next new member of the Danish-Puerto Rican Society (or so we jested). I was serious. Especially about the whole thing about the party in California.

The Herald Tribune ran an AP story today on the FBI returning to the homes of two independence activists in San Juan, allegedly in connection with their investigation of the Macheteros – but activists in Puerto Rico are saying it’s more likely an attempt to intimidate them before the one year anniversary protests against the killing of Machetero leader, Filiberto Ojeda Rios.

The Japanese press reports on Miss Puerto Rico’s (now Miss Universe) triumphant return to Puerto Rico. But clearly, her dress is yellow and not green as the article says.

Why is a congressman from Illinois (where less than 1% of the population is Puerto Rican) co-sponsoring bills about economic policy in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rican bankers have rewarded him with campaign cash. Of course, it would be silly to bribe Puerto Rican politicians since they have no real political power in Congress.

The congressman, Jerry Weller, is married to the daughter of a Guatemalan dictator who was responsible for killing thousands and thousands of Mayan Indians.

Big surprise: The US government has found the FBI free of any wrongdoing in the killing of Puerto Rican militant Filiberto Ojeda Rios, in spite of letting him bleed to death in his house over 18 hours, and apparently setting out with the clear intention of killing the 72-year old. Ojeda Rios was killed in September 2005 and political leaders in Puerto Rico on both sides of the independence question have condemned the FBI’s actions.

The Guardian
People’s Weekly World
Forbes
Claridad