Colonial Means to ‘Decolonial’ Ends

In partnership with

Opinion for The Latino Newsletter

By Adi Martínez Román and Edoardo Ortiz

“The consent of the governed,” what the United States Declaration of Independence set forth, is the foundation of political authority. This principle is so dangerous to imperial powers that when the government of Puerto Rico passed a law in 1946 (over a veto by its then-federally appointed Governor) for its people to vote on a future non-colonial status, President Harry Truman decided to stop them. He unilaterally voided the law.

Why did Truman do this? He explained: 

The layers of irony, hypocrisy, and colonial rule here run deep. In the name of “protecting” democratic values, Truman felt like he must deny democracy to Puerto Ricans altogether. To avoid the potential of Congress slighting Puerto Ricans by ignoring their expression of self-determination, he would silence their voice completely. But Truman was right to think that it would be grotesquely colonial to let Puerto Ricans express their will, only to ignore them.

Regrettably, this is precisely the policy the United States has adopted for over half a century, all the way to the present, handwaving away status plebiscite results and other local mechanisms while at the same time not providing any real options for self-determination. What was deemed too hypocritical by President Truman in 1940 is the current federal status quo.

Federal Apathy

People in all the territories —American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands— continue to struggle against this federal policy of apathy and neglect. Federal inaction and a lack of meaningful democratic processes frustrate local efforts to pursue greater autonomy, self-determination, and ultimately decolonization. This has predictably led to stagnation and few meaningful advancements to end colonial rule in the territories. If anything, things are going the wrong direction, with the imposition of a federal oversight board in Puerto Rico and unilateral U.S. military expansion in Pacific territories.

In an attempt to break through this persistent paralysis, two recent policy proposals have stirred up controversy as they seek to catalyze action. Conservative think tanks in D.C. are proposing that the U.S. unilaterally join together two separate Pacific territories —Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands— and admit them as one state. This would, they argue, consolidate and permanently secure U.S. control and national security interests in the Pacific amid rising tensions with China.  Left out of the conversation so far are the people of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, their interests, objectives, and their fundamental right to determine their political future.

Another controversial proposal is a draft executive order fashioned by a group of Puerto Rican independence advocates to convince President Trump to unilaterally settle Puerto Rico’s political status debate by making Puerto Rico independent. Hoping that the draft finds its way to the President’s desk, this proposal prompts unilateral action from the Federal government and appeals to U.S. interests, highlighting the money taxpayers would “save” if Puerto Rico became independent. In the name of self-determination and decolonization, the proposal would entrust President Trump with unilateral power to set the terms and timing of independence. Left out of all this is any deliberative or democratic process that centers the interests, desires, and participation of Puerto Ricans. 

Both proposals seem to be driven by political expediency and perceived opportunity in these chaotic political times. 

While the root of colonial rule is undoubtedly federal imperialist policies, these proposals borrow some of imperialism’s most problematic practices. By pushing for unilateral action, they encourage the United States to further neglect the fundamental democratic rights of people in the territories to choose their own future based on their own interests and values. These proposals neglect the existential need for participation to achieve true liberation and meaningful human development, which only arise when individuals actively engage in shaping their own lives and society.  Instead, these proposals push for the authoritarian, non-deliberative, non-transparent type of solutions that created colonial rule in the first place and that perpetuate the continuation of the oppressive status quo. A decree by fiat will defeat the people’s right for agency to collectively imagine and create their decolonial futures. 

Bold Approaches Needed

Ending U.S. colonial rule will take bold approaches to build common ground and tough conversations where many in good faith will disagree. At Right to Democracy, we have seen a sort of “magic” happen when these tough conversations are had between peoples across all the territories. In these conversations, we honor our common values of respecting differences and building common ground towards a democratic process of self-determination. We see fears being addressed and overcome, people from diverse status ideologies embracing together, even reaching agreement by creating new meanings and understandings. In this way, we are striving to build power and solutions that will effectively promote a mobilization powerful enough to confront colonial rule and its insidious narrative.   

We must not abandon the real power of Democracy as an antidote to authoritarianism. While President Truman got a lot wrong, he was right that the United States must keep faith “with the expressed will of the people” of U.S. territories. As he declared in his 1949 inaugural address, “Democracy alone can supply the vitalizing force to stir the peoples of the world into triumphant action.” 

People must be empowered to see their capacity to collectively influence their own realities. Self-determination is not possible if people in U.S. territories are objectified as a means to an end. Ultimately, these proposals are colonial means to purportedly decolonial ends.

About the Authors

Dr. Adi Martínez Román lives in Puerto Rico and Co-Directs Right to Democracy, a nonprofit that is building a movement for democracy, equity, and self-determination in U.S. territories.

Edoardo Ortiz is the Advocacy Director of Right to Democracy.  He is a writer, researcher, and advocate from Bayamón, Puerto Rico, currently based out of Chicago, Illinois.

Right to Democracy partners with people and organizations across all five U.S. territories who have a diverse range of perspectives on political status (from statehood to independence) and political ideologies (from liberal to conservative). It focuses on building common ground while respecting differences, with self-determination at the core of all its work.  

We want to keep The Latino Newsletter accessible without paywalls. To help, you can donate here. Any amount (one-time or monthly) will keep us going.

Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Subscribe to 1440 today.

What We’re Reading

Lalo Alcaraz on Cartoon: From award-winning cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz via his Facebook page, “I usually don’t comment on other editorial Cartoonist’s work unless I love it and it’s a friend and they deserve congratulations but here is a racist Cartoon from a Jon Russo from Creators syndicate apparently and it came on my feed through ‘Townhall’ email and I just wanna ask the editor or the Cartoonist, how do you know that the figure holding a gun is a criminal illegal alien and not just a criminal. Hmmm. In cartoon reasoning, you could say ‘oh it’s inferred,’ but I think what he’s inferring is that all brown people are ‘illegal aliens’ and also criminals. Do better, Creators.”

New Latino Democrat PAC: By Sabrina Rodriguez of The Washington Post, “A pair of influential Latino Democrats are teaming up to launch a new super PAC to mobilize Latino voters in support of Democratic candidates after the party suffered major slippage with the key voting bloc in recent election cycles.”

Disclosure: One of the founding members of this new PAC has donated previously to The Latino Newsletter. Read more about our transparency policy here.

The Latino Newsletter welcomes opinion pieces in English and/or Spanish from community voices. Submission guidelines are here. The views expressed by outside opinion contributors do not necessarily reflect the editorial views of this outlet or its employees.