Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said there has been a “loud diversity” of positions about Puerto Rico’s political status among those in Connecticut’s Puerto Rican community. But he believes the island should decide its future and whether it is recognized differently than a U.S. territory.
“Many want to continue the relationship, some want independence, and many want statehood. There’s never been a consensus view here in Connecticut’s Puerto Rican community, but I’ve heard widespread support for this measure,” Murphy said in an interview.
“Even though people in Connecticut may differ on commonwealth or statehood status, most agree that the current uncertainty is not sustainable, and a long term decision needs to be made,” he added.
Both Murphy and Blumenthal argued that Puerto Rico’s current territorial status provides less help and resources to the island, particularly when it comes to disaster relief. They noted that Puerto Rico did not have power for months after Hurricane Maria, which they believe would not have happened if the island were a state.
“If Puerto Rico were a state, there’s no way that a president would be tossing towels instead of providing real relief to the people of Puerto Rico in the wake of natural disasters,” Blumenthal said, referring to when then-President Donald Trump visited the island to survey the damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017 and threw paper towel rolls into a crowd of survivors.
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