Pedro Pierluisi, who has been governor of Puerto Rico since January 2021, is pushing for the Caribbean archipelago to become the 51st US state. This would put an end to its current status of unincorporated territory and give more rights to its inhabitants. But while the election of Joe Biden seems to give hope to those who want US statehood, others would prefer Puerto Rico to become completely independent. Our regional correspondents Laurence Cuvillier and Matthieu Comin report.
Currently, Puerto Ricans have US nationality but cannot elect the US president. They also have no representatives or senators on Capitol Hill. And the archipelago of 3.3 million people is not allowed to have trade relations with any country other than the United States.
For many inhabitants, Joe Biden's arrival at the White House is a sign of hope. A parliamentary delegation has just been elected to plead the case for US statehood on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks.
