Police confront students in a protest on the Capitlol steps in Puerto Rico. Photo: tecnofilms
On my first night in Puerto Rico, I ran across the street to the grocery store.
I stood in the check-out line and thumbed through El Nuevo Dia to occupy myself as one customer realized he’d forgotten something, another argued over the shelf price versus the register price, and the cashier wandered off to get some change.
The news in Puerto Rico is rarely good.
I remember the menacing “5″ that took up the entire front page of the newspaper once, “5″ being Puerto Rico’s ranking, at the time, in the list of the world’s most violent countries (per capita).
I remember the national outrage that was sparked in late 2007–just before I moved off the island–when the municipal animal control agency in the town of Barceloneta was accused of throwing more than 80 dogs and cats off a bridge (the last survivor of that event died last week, according to another article I read, this time while waiting for coffee).
Last summer, while I was in Puerto Rico working on a travel guide book, three people were killed while drinking on the patio of El Taquito. A waitress was shot in the hand.
I have friends on the island who have been affected directly by violence: one friend shot in the head (he survived) and another whose ear was grazed by an errant bullet during a New Year’s celebration (it’s common to fire guns into the air on New Year’s… so common–and so dangerous– in fact, that the police sponsor an annual campaign: “No mas balas perdidas” (literally translated: “No more lost bullets.”)
Ultimately, one of the reasons why I left the island was because of this violence, which works its way subtly into many aspects of daily life: casual conversations, driving, trying to resolve a legitimate concern about a service you’re paying for. The violence is verbal. Psychological.
“You don’t teach respect for the law through violence. You don’t teach love through abuse.”
And it is most definitely physical.
Unfortunately, the violence seems to be more prominent and more disturbing than ever. The week prior to my arrival, three men had killed their wives. All three were police officers. And to bookend the trip, as I packed my bag last night and prepared to fly back to New York, I heard the news about the teargassing of protesting students by police in front of the Capitolio. I’d driven past the protest just an hour before the shit hit the fan. In the hours since this encounter, as the public has called for the Superintendent of Police to justify the use of such extreme force, local politicians have come out in support of the violence. “Se tiene que respetar,” said the Superintendent. “They’ve got to respect [the law].”
You don’t teach respect for the law through violence. You don’t teach love through abuse.
It’s important to point out that violence in Puerto Rico rarely affects travelers. So why bring this up at all? Because a country that’s 100 miles by 39 miles shouldn’t be among the world’s most violent nations. Because the mainstream media in the US (Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States, after all) and abroad pay little attention to the island and someone needs to do so. Because the situation in Puerto Rico provides us the impetus to examine our own acts of violence. How do we wound others with our words and actions?
If you’re interested in participating in any of the protests that are being organized in response to the police action against the protesting students, there is a protest today, July 2, at 4 PM at 135 West 50th Street (between 6th and 7th Aves.) in New York City. A National Day of Protest has been scheduled for July 18 in Puerto Rico.
Community Connection:
To learn more about other aspects of Puerto Rico’s history and culture, visit our Puerto Rico Focus Page.
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13 Comments... join the discussion!
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I had no idea about Puerto Rico’s violence either. Thanks for bringing this to our attention Julie. I wish I was still in NYC and could join the protest.
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I had no idea either! Thanks for writing about this!
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I too had no idea this was happening either. It seems Puerto Rico can’t even attract negative attention from the rest of the world.
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I did know how unsettled P.R. is and has been for a long time. I have friends on the Island and the growing violence worries them! Much of the crime is drug related,but as in this last weeks violence, it has to do with corrupt government.
There is a faction on the Island that wants independence from the U.S. ,this is not a new movement, in the 1950’s 3 P.R. individuals got into the Senate and opened fire- I don’t believe anyone was killed, but they were impriosned. I believe they are called ‘nationalists’, much of thier activity is communistic based, and backed by factions in South America.
What I don’t understand is why the U.S. news media is not covering this more. If there were a riot in any other part of the world it would be covered. This is not the 1st violent outbreak in P.R. in the last few years, but you have to look far and wide to find information about what happened.
Thanks for reporting this.↵ -
I live in Puerto Rico, and I am very aware of this; it is crazy here, they use kid as human shields, they people in the middle of crowded places, and the police doesnt do anything, the forensics here sucks, and many murderers are never found. The other day (like 6 months ago) some guys robbed a wells Fargo truck and stole million in cash, they have yet to be found. I was born in Puerto Rico, but i can’t wait to get away from it and travel the world. There is nothing to do here and honestly everyday the news is always about killings or what not. For you people traveling to PR tho, dont worry; cause most of these deaths arent for money, but rather because people think violence brings respect, honor, and drugs. Drugs espcially cause the most deaths by far
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Wow. I had no idea either. I hate how little attention Puerto Rico gets. I had no idea it was a commonwealth of us until I was in college! It’s crazy.
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No one knows about any of this, because no one is reporting any of this ANYWHERE other than in Puerto Rico. It’s so difficult just finding a single article in English for me to share with my friends that don’t understand Spanish. More has to be done to bring attention to this. So many budget cuts have been made, and so many necessary programs have been dismantled to save a few extra dollars. I was a student at Escuela de Artes Plasticas and transferred to UTSA. My mom is currently attending the UPR in Carolina. All of my family members, friends, and loved ones have depended, and will continue to depend on the UPR for a higher education. Trying to privatize such a deep rooted part of our culture is an attack to our lives, our traditions, and our future. I know so many people that just give up, try to move to the US, or just join the military to try to run away from the dead ends they constantly run into on the island. It’s not safe, there are no jobs, the government is corrupt, and they’re still trying to squeeze more and more out of us. Brute force will achieve nothing. Go beat up drug lords and human traffickers, not students that just want access to an affordable education. THEY’RE STUDENTS! NOT CRIMINALS!!!
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‘No more lost bullets’ sent a chill down my spine. I think that in itself says it all. I wonder why the issue has receive such little coverage, and might the situation improve if the international media is more present.
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ok- so everyone who has posted here agrees-this is shocking and we don’t understand whyit is not being covered, what do we do about this lack of coverage?
This is as big a story as the drug lords in Mexico getting into a battle over territory, and shooting each other, and it involves U.S. citizens.
Several months ago some drug dealers got into an arguement and there was a shot-out in a small town, leaving many people injured, the injured were taken to the hospital section of UPR. For fear of retaliation by the opposing gang, the medical school was shut down and surrounded by security—-Bet none of you heard about that before either! There was no coverage in the states.↵ -
Okay, so it looks like we are all learning soethiing new here. I’m an international news and info and stats junkie so had a slight idea of the problems in Puerto Rico, but not to a good extent. Its especially sad because this is part of our own nation. I wonder why it receives so little attention, when compared to so many other places and event.
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Interesting…I heard about the protests but it was because I was at my mom’s house and Univision was on. I think drug cartel violence in Mexico gets a lot more attention in mainstream news because border issues make it a more sensational story. I appreciate all of the independent sources that give voice to critical issues that get left out or don’t receive enough attention. Great job, Julie!
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