PR govt: Joining CELAC not on radar

[Bacchus4.0]

http://www.caribbeanbusinesspr.com/news/pr-govt-joining-celac-not-on-radar-92516.html


The Puerto Rico government says membership in the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) is not on its radar despite repeated calls for the island’s inclusion in the bloc by Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro.
Puerto Rico State Department officials say the administration of Gov. Alejandro García Padilla is eyeing greater involvement in international forums, but that CELAC membership hasn’t been considered and isn’t on the agenda.

“We are evaluating different organizations and entities,” Assistant Secretary of State Javier González told a local Spanish-language news outlet. “CELAC is not one of those involved in this process.”

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“Sooner rather than later we will see an independent Puerto Rico, a free and independent Puerto Rico,” he said. “One day it will be seen as a republic and all of us, Latin American and the Caribbean along with our Puerto Rican brothers, are going to consolidate that republic and independence.”

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In 2003, then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell reportedly sent a memo to ambassadors in Latin American reminding them of Puerto Rico’s relationship with the U.S. and telling them that then-Gov. Sila Calderón should not be treated as a head of state at a Latin American summit she was to attend in Panama, after she allegedly made such gestures. He also reportedly warned of any commonwealth gesture to join international organisms as an independent entity without the approval of the U.S. State Department.


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Well Nicolas, PR will be independent when they vote for independence which will be when the next snow falls in San Juan. Nothing wrong with independence of course, if fact, I would favor it. But puertoricans won't vote for it. More likely the US to cut them loose which isn't very likely either.