We Went To Puerto Rico: The Inequality We Saw Will Shock You
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- Опубліковано 25 жов 2023
- 43% of people in Puerto Rico live in poverty.
More than 5,000 crypto traders, real estate developers and other wealthy Americans have moved to the island since 2012.
These rich transplants pay 3% taxes, while locals pay up to 36%.
We spoke with local residents, investigative journalists and activists as well as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to answer one question:
What happens when a government surrenders itself entirely to the 1%?
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American territories should be states with elected representatives. Samoa, Guam, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico - give them each two senators!
Big yikes. They don't wanna be states, they don't even want us there. We should leave and let them control their own destiny. Our immigration there has done harm to them. Because immigration is harmful as a rule. It's why America should do the same and fight back against it so those people can fight for their own national interest back home without our interference.
But then the Republicans won't be able to deadlock congress and stall progress.
The way America is running Puerto Rico is nothing new. It's pretty much identical to how Europeans used to run their colonies.
crazy how it works@@MrMarinus18
we don't wanna be part of the empire that is killing Palestinians
What i find really sick,is the glee the rich take in exploiting these poor people. They only think about what they can take, not what they can give, not how to make things better, even though they have the power and means to do so. This is definitely a soul sickness.
Exactly. Tax the billionaires AND multi-millionaires out of existence!!!
Lets not mention PR was a rich nation and the center of commence between Europe and the Americas, until the US's invation.
Puerto Rico needs to start taxing land values. This will make speculating with housing and land unprofitable thus releasing them to be used by locals for living and doing business.
@@tomi213 People don't get it Puerto Rico is a COLONY of the US. Puerto Rico can't even decided who gets in or who goes out. Puerto Rico was invaded in 1898, in other words the US controls every thing, Even food in Puerto Rico is taxed by the US, same as the ships bringing it in.
Presently the evaluations put out by NOAA say it will be underwater except for about 12% of the island in about 5 years, if a hurricane doesn't finish it off first. 15 ft is what they are calling for in less than 4 yrs. We need to start moving them to safer ground, that island is going to an ocean floor feature moving forward@@tomi213
"How is luring rich people in with massive tax breaks supposed to help the people of Puerto Rico?" It isn't supposed to. They don't care about "the people".
A problem with all humans, a.k.a. the people. Just look at the billions held by blacks on the mainland. Why are so many black communities so destitute even with large sums from the government? BLM raked in a fortune and illegally stole it while giving nothing back to the people. It wasn't even a tax by the government. The people are the problem and that can only change with knowledge and ethics, and ethics are absent from almost all forms of education now.
Exactly... only hurts the natives and further extends/ divides the wealth gap
Living there would allow them to be part of the culture and to hopefully get involved. It's not forced upon them, but the majority do. Unlike California where they kick them out, PR offer safety and value growth in investments ;)
@@anthonyguzman2081 extends the wealth gap... like this is an issue in of itself? Who cares about the wealth gap.
Corruption is at the root of all this - politicians not acting in the best overall interest of Puerto Rico but in the interest of friends and family 🙄. Puerto Rico ♥️ is such a beautiful place with amazing people who deserve so much better
Start with the 83 billion that we owe to the gringos who invested in PR under the 501's (tax free) at 10% yield. They will push the people out of the Island. See what's they R doing to Hawaii they will do it in our Island.
they don't deserve anything
And these politicians are? Oh yeah... Puerto Ricans.
🤣...the truth hurts .
That's the point, gringo! @@808BizStuff
Born and raised poor in Puerto Rico. Remember working in those sugar cane fields and eating USAID processed cheese provided by the Federal government. Got my college degree and moved to the mainland decades looking for a better future. Unfortunately, corruption still remains one of the main issues on the island :(
To be quite honest, corruption is not much better on the mainland, the economy has also gone to sh*t there... You could argue is about the same, only difference the mainland dont have an act 60 type of BS but everything else... And Ive been in the mainland for years but, its really not that different! Housing alone is reason enough for me to want to go back to PR lol, Im kidding, but kinda not!
Amen. Ate the same USAID cheese in the Ozarks. I left the Ozarks to be laid off from UAW a half dozen times. We've no collective sense anymore.
Rich people cheating on their taxes? I'm shocked! SHOCKED i say.
It's not cheating if the law allows for it. It's perfectly legal.
Rich ppl are ruining and increasing prices in my hometown in the US. I get mad at the system and policy makers, not the annoying rich people. That’s the difference with some cultures
@@daniels.3062/Whyte rich people do cheat on their taxes/ just like trump
@@daniels.3062what do you call paying off a referee to not call the shots?
@@daniels.3062 well the rich people and government gives grants to study and lazy people preferred to be poor and the small business Adm are there for people who doesn't want to go to universities, digital world right now can make you rich if you want too
Its not just Puerto Rico, gentrification is happening in every corner of the United States, even in poverty stricken states
It's the commie globalists that own the puppet politicians that they appoint
Solidarity with Puerto Rico from Finland! :)
LOL!
The same thing is happening on popular tourist locations and tax havens across the world, I live in Greece and what you present in Puerto Rico is exactly the same as what is happening all over Greece.
Wealthy Funds and individuals are buying all the real estate dirt cheap through non performing loans that the poor locals can't pay , wealthy people from other countries like China are also buying real estate to get a Golden Visa allowing them to live in the EU.
The locals lose their homes, they have to give more than 60% of their income to rent a dirty hole and they work for pennies while they can't even enjoy their own country anymore.
Meanwhile our public services are becoming privatized making inequality even greater.
And if that wasn't enough, we Europeans also give lots of money away to keep the Ukranian war going via the EU... to benefit only the US
@@alexnogues4246If Ukraine is lost to Russia, Russia already admitted that they won’t stop with Ukrainian territory. They already stated that they will go for other surrounding countries. Which it is not at the best interest of both the US and the EU. Plus we need to enforce international order to prevent these invasive wars by holding every one accountable even the US
@@Power_to_the_people567 Your level of brainwashing is shocking. I'm afraid I can't do much about it. Have a good day.
Same thing in the US and every country in the world.
@@alexnogues4246 So you have no legitimate ability to have a conversation about the facts surrounding the war. Got it. Thats why you instead rely on personal insults when your claims are challenged with a more grounded argument
Jamaica is a sovereign country, but they're guilty of much of the same. Native Jamaicans can't access their own beaches. It's an Island country, where are they supposed to go??
same here in Denmark
Yup. Most of the beaches are now owned by hotels, which charge more per night than they do in first world countries but pay workers minimum wage (~$350/month). Good luck living of that.
We are fighting for that here, nomprivate beaches
That’s pretty much what would be the next step in independent Puerto Rico, but as long as we have a bad guy to blame we’ll run with it until the end.
Africa.
Same thing with Hawaii, Hawaiians are living inside their cars in front of the beach or in camps. California, same thing, lots of tents in the streets, Pennsylavania, there's an area called the "Zombie area". You could make a video of each one.
I just moved to Hawaii like two weeks ago. I haven't seen such things yet. Now I want to know.
@@thebongbongseffect - LOTS of homelessness in Honolulu. I was there last July. It's all over the place. People were sleeping in the park over by the zoo.
One of many many many examples. Inequality of this type is global. Sadly...
Liberal utopias.
You glossed over the part where the Puerto Rican “leadership,” sold the souls of its own people.
So.. the people who live in Puerto Rico are taxed at 35%.. and the RICH businessmen that move there are taxed at 3%.. to attract a few low value jobs.. wow
Coming to a state near you.
Cronyism at its worst. Selling out nearly the entire populace to a handful of investment firms the kleptocrats happen to be friendly with. Why hasn't there been a rebellion against Wall Street and the real estate investment industry?!
egregious.
Don't forget about laxed regulations on biotech companies. It's gross.
@@grmpEqweerIt is already here. Corporations often pay 0 taxes.
My heart goes out to Puerto Rico. I lived for 25 years on a neighboring island, watching the destruction of natural beauty by greedy, off-island developers who were enabled by corrupt politicians. The Puerto Ricans I met are some of the kindest, most gentle people I've known. They deserve much better.
@gregg53jones. Hi Sir, May I ask...
Did you reside on Vieques or STT?
STJ@@SoundScientist1
So Puerto Ricans themselves have not partaken in their own destruction ? Look at it's culture today..nothing in common with 60 years ago .
They are Democrats,,just like NY and Chicago and California,,you really think they deserve any better?
We do deserve much much better, enough of taking advantage of humans like yourselves, there's hell to pay for all this injustice. And yes I'm 100% Puerto Rican!!
Imagine how much more wealthy all puerto ricans will be, if there were none of these wealthy investors there. The poor people will then have a chance to exploit each other, and enrich each other at the same time - just as they have been doing for hundreds of years before westerners arrived.
I'm watching this while visiting Puerto Rico right now. Honestly, I've found the locals here to either be just lukewarm or rude. My friend bought a house here 2 years ago in a poor area, nothing special at all, and has been fixing it up while she lives here working remotely. She's not rich, she doesn't even own a car, just another working class person trying to make a life and a living. But her neighbors have been quite rude to her and have taken advantage of her many times over charging her to fix something or another and then not doing the job they promised. And when she tries to talk to them about it, they no longer speak English well enough to understand. When we purposely patronize local establishments, we're treated rudely like we're imposing when all we're trying to do is spend our dollars in the local economy.
However, after watching this, this maybe explains a little more. I, too, would have resentment for some white American coming over and buying a house and living amongst us since it seems like this seems to be a big issue where people come and exploit the land and the people and drive people out of their homes. It's quite unfortunate that someone who came here to put roots down is lumped in with those who came to exploit.
You definetely got it now, your friend is paying (unjustly) for the abused of others!!
It's disappointing to be lumped together with the "overbearing people". (South Floridians feel the same way about outsiders coming into their metropolis and throwing down fat ca$h for real estate while locals can't even find a pot to piss in.)
Puerto Ricans don't take kindly to anyone that tries taking them for fools, whether local or outsider. And anyone moving to PR to set down roots should take time to learn and speak Spanish. Even though the island is a US Territory and English is learned and spoken widely, its people speak Spanish all the time, even the youngsters. If you are sincere in your efforts to learn Spanish, you will get plenty of help.
@@hananokuni2580 Yep, it certainly tested my knowledge of Spanish. While I never took a day of Spanish in my life, I was fluent in French once upon a time and both those languages are Romance languages so it wasn't too hard to figure out Spanish, especially when I've worked with so many Hispanics in my lifetime. I wasn't too far out of my comfort zone in Puerto Rico. And all my sympathies to people displaced due to outsiders driving up real estate values, both here and in Puerto Rico.
@@smc1377 Puerto Rican Spanish is quite different from Mexican Spanish or South American Spanish. In fact, it and other Caribbean Spanish varieties are much like Spanish as spoken in the Canary Islands.
It wasn’t like that before.
Whenever I hear the phrase "tax breaks" I know it's just rich people stealing money.
Besides anti-government sentiment, how do voters keep getting duped into supporting those kinds of tax refunds?
Bingo.
🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑 yup.
@@dominicfucinari1942 Brainwashing and propaganda and a whole lot of bread and circus.
@@dominicfucinari1942 the interests behind those tax breaks work hard to convince people it benefits everyone
Most Puertorican government employees are working because someone got that job for them it is not because they earned and know what they are doing (responsibility and outcome)
It is just STUPID
so fiitting that AOC was the expert consulted here
I lived in Ponce Puerto Rico from 1971 to 1975. I was in the Navy at the time. I didn't mind living there because it was like home, Miami. I used to joke that they were similar. The weather was tropical and everyone spoke Spanish.
The poverty was severe. Every week trucks would be parked in some of the barrios distributing US Government surplus food. Cheese, Butter, etc. It was called the Mantenga, the keep. Then the US government extended Food Stamps to the island applying the US poverty line. Almost the entire population was eligible for the stamps.
Children only went to school for a half day. Some didn't go at all. There were few jobs to speak of. Many men hung around at the colmados drinking tasitas of rum while they played dominoes.
The roads were death traps. used to drive Route 1 from Ponce to San Juan twice a week. It was a mountainous route with no guard rails. The semi trucks would blow their horn as the rounded a curve to warn you to get as far over to the right as you could or they'd knock you into the valley. All along the roads there are little memorials marking the spot where someone died.
The corporations were milking the place under Bootstrap where they paid little if any taxes on earnings. Most were pharmaceutical companies. Today's tax scam isn't new.
It's nice place with nice people, at least if you aren't in San Juan. They have very little but are generous with what they have. The people deserve better but will never get it. The governors were all related to each other. The Ferre family owned the Puerto Rico Cement Company. The Governor Ferre's nephew was mayor of Miami and ran the Florida Cement Company. The sugar cane families run the rest of the island. The Serralle=Wilson family owns vast acres of sugar cane as well as Bacardi and Don Q Rum. There were times when we had to put up with dirty homes as they burned off the sugar cane before harvest. Hundreds of Mongoose would run through the base during the burnings. They were brought to the island to kill off the snakes living in the cane fields but they had no enemies and thrived and were worse than the snakes.
I don't see how it can get any better.
40% not the entire island.
SOUNDS LIKE DELIVERENCE IN THE TROPICS. INBRED
A normal citizen in Puerto Rico suffer the ridiculous system laws.The sales tax is 11.5%,higher than all fifty US states.The salary from July 2023 is $9.50.The services are in crisis like health,potable water,electric system,transportation system(roads full of holes),high crime rates,high poverty.Im retired,receive $1,500 Im pay $738 health plan,$484 mortgage.A total disaster.😢😢
And people got the NERVE to tell me, a half-Boricua, that Puerto Rico doesn't deserve independence. Meanwhile this is what's already happening when we stay with the US, and if we become a state, our culture will dilute like Hawaii's.
So much for "freedom of opinion", then we get shamed for having an opinion that doesn't benefit the status quo.
Would Puerto Rico go well as independent? What would happen to American citizenship that cannot be taken away and is inherited? Just Americans living in their own foreign country? Not saying you are wrong, maybe independence is the future, but I don't see an easy exit here.
@@josepheridu3322 and you see, it is the American laws that set up this difficult exit. With all the gringos in Puerto Rico, if they aren't kicked out, Puerto Rico will definitely be in the same situation as Hawaii was in the 1800s.
Grew up in PR and went to University there. Puerto Rico has always had a love/hate relationship with the US that has preserved much of the local culture. Independence would be the right choice emotionally for a healthier society, but I don't really see how that would reduce the corruption and inequality. Edit: removed my personal explanation for how things are since it's basically a recap of the first part of the video.
Puerto Rico would not benefit from independence unless the corrupt government is fleshed out and actual democratic independence advocates hold the majority of power
@@NovikNikolovicDo you know how many Puerto Ricans I see here in Florida? There are many many more Puerto Ricans in Florida alone than there are gringos in Puerto Rico. Look, you’ve been offered a vote for independence multiple times. You want to have the low prices and chilled atmosphere of an independent Latino country while still having an American passport, access to studying/working anywhere in the US without a visa, and making money in US dollar. This is not going to happen. If you don’t want “gringos” living in Puerto Rico, you vote for complete independence and you make it difficult for foreigners to get residency visas. You don’t get all the benefits of being independent while retaining the benefits of being dependent on the US
A law will now be passed that allows Act 60 investors to VOTE.
Thank you so fucking much for making this video. Can't even begin to describe how sick I am of seeing PR treated like a playground while my loved ones and I borderline starve.
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Doesn't surprise me, it's an easy vote for the PNP.
Immigration benefits the wealthy and when you complain about it you will be called xenophobic
What law you referring to any resident regardless of tax bracket can vote in PR all they have to do is register to vote with there PR residence address. If they are from the USA they can vote in PR but puerto rican with no state address cant vote for president of USA. I see your point but theres no change to laws on that matter hope fully the act 60 lose there presidential election vote like locals
@@mj_and_company only pr from puertorico can vote nobody from the usa can vote.nobody who isnt puertorican should have the right too vote for puertoricans! act 60 investors vote for the political campaign that benefits them financially,which shouldnt be allowed.this is a perfect example of colonization of puertoricans,.
it's sad how they treat the transplants better than the local indigenous..
sounds like the democrat party, doesnt it!!!
i like to call them, "commie-crat party"!!!
PR treats people with money better, regardless of who they are.
The same thing has been going on for years at St Thomas, St Croix, and St John ..... the locals suffer while investors get RICH....
Boggles my mind how many people don't realize Puerto Rico is a part of the USA
It's not a state, and it's not taught as being part of the US.
It's not. It's a colony. If it was part of the US it would be a state.
@@Lando-kx6soThe people born there are citizens, they pay U.S. taxes.
It IS a colony, but it's also part of the United States.
It ought to be a state, they deserve their full rights.
@@BlitzkriegOmega bruh. it's a US territory (like Guam, the US Virgin Islands and American Samoa). Maybe you were sleeping in school when they taught that.
That's how America treats its -colonial possessions- unincorporated territories, it's land that they control and exploit for profit but whose people don't get a say in their own government. The US has just perfected the art of hiding its empire from its own citizens.
If you want to see your future, look at the example of NYC. When the city underwent “reorganization” of the finances, it ceded control to the FIRE interests (Finance, Insurance and Real Estate). They implemented austerity policies that drained public services while at the same time shifting the tax burden from the wealthy to the middle class. Along with deindustrialization and the flight of jobs to southern states with “Right To Work laws and not Union friendly, it turned NYC from a manufacturing hub into a rentier economy which caters to the Uber wealthy. And they, in turn, are pricing the Middle class out of the city (basically Manhattan).
NYC is not a U.S. "territory," it's in the state of New York. also, I could be wrong but I don't think the wealthy are flocking to NYC because it's considered "America Lite" for the tax breaks. this is like comparing apples to oranges.
I also read that NYC (and I’m sure, San Francisco) is just too expensive to even VISIT any more, unless you’re rich?
@@kerrialexander4211 Unless you are a migrant that illegally crashed the US border. They get bussed into NYC by the thousands and get free housing and benefits that are not offered to regular citizens. Welcome to the corruption that is unraveling the USA.
Let's be clear who destroyed NYC: Democrats. They ran it to the point of bankruptcy. Rudy took charge and restored it to world class city status. After 8 years of the Marxist idiot that followed Bloomberg, it's back to needles in the parks, grafitti everywhere, collapsing subway, homeless everywhere. Democrats learned nothing from Rudy's example.
Greed and corruption are evil
I just left Puerto Rico and saw a lot of this first hand. After watching your video, I can connect the dots on whats happening. I'm totally disgusted and am fearful of what Puerto Rico will look like in the future. This should not be allowed to happen.
If they are supposed to invest in the local economy why isn't that a requirement for the tax breaks?
Doesn't investing in the local economy MEAN paying local taxes?
@carpediem44 thank you, that's a great way of putting it.
No, paying your taxes is not investing, that is just following the law.
Investing would be moving money around to enable things to happen, like causing businesses to be launched that would not otherwise be, or causing public goods to be created that bring returns.
@@jsrodman guess what can be done with taxes
@@jsrodman Unless you have a government that has been corrupted by rich slimebags, that's exactly how taxes are used.
Once retired, we moved to Puerto Rico. Bought a home just as the recession hit. The property value of our home tanked 30% and still has not recovered. We never looked into the tax benefits available to people relocating from the states. We are fortunate enough to have a steady retirement income, but, the crumbling infrastructure on the island and income inequality has been daunting to say the least. But we remain hopeful that things will change for the better. Political corruption, rampant drug violence continually broadcasted on television is unnerving and of great concern. Thank you for highlighting our common plight.
Don't hold your breath waiting for things to change, Latin America is famous for corruption and never ending streaks of violence and poverty. The rich are getting richer and the poor... well you know the rest. I truly wish you good luck,
@@007Julie Puerto Rico is NOT in Latin America, Puerto Rico is a group of islands and the most corruption is from the invader of the United States. Billionaires and Millionaires are trying to take over the entire island with their money, which Puerto Ricans can not match. Poverty is right, thanks to the US invaders, before that PR was a center of commerce between Europe and the Americans due to it's location. In other words it was NOT a poor nation until the US INVADED, took land belonging to Puerto Rico and built military bases. Stupid people should first learn a thing called history. Hint: Julie. Right now the US is in the mist of self destroying, with an economy that depends on other nations supporting it. Have you tried looking at the US's Debt Clock, you should, so you can see how in debt the US is and there is no way it will not collapse soon enough. Just type Debt Clock, it should open your eyes, you won't be able to keep up. The rich in the US keep getting richer and you, I bet keep getting closer to bankrupt. Evil begets evil.
@@007Julieis very cynical. Latin America's plight is also due to US interventions- overthrowing presidents of Guatemala, Chili, training death squads in El Salvador, universal support of corrupt, elitist, violent regimes. Let LA chart a new, independent future
US has a tendency historically, to invade all over the world, spreading white supremacy, and marginalizing the places they invade. Read “The Economic Hit Man.” This book explains the invasions and takeovers. They have a playbook, which has been repeated over and over. The masses of People don’t study, that’s why they aren’t aware. I honestly believe that when the masses understand the plan of the elite, there will be a revolution 😞
Where do you live? Have you visited Puerto Rico? Latin America? Please answer I am so curious, your comment sounds very first hand knowledge , just want to know the truth you hold! @@007Julie
The wealthy families had to sell their souls to get there. Its a miserable existence.
This is exactly what has ruined our way of life at our home on the Hawaiian islands😢😢the government doesn't want to deal with us cause we are not worth their time.
As a Puerto Rican it’s saddening to see the old San Juan neighborhood now being massively converted into Airbnbs in order to make financial needs.
Yep, this is 100% true. I'm Puerto Rican, live in Puerto Rico and the wealth inequality is a huge sticking point. What's worse, is that we've had crisis after crisis that for average Puerto Ricans causing them to lose even more of their remaining wealth.
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The people of Puerto Rico has had rejected three times statehood well they will had senators and representatives in the congress. Well that is the choice besides many Puertoricans just flew to Florida and invest their money in Florida. The Puerto Ricans always vote for the government who doesn’t care. The Puertoricans leave gave the island to foreigners.
I'm also Puerto Rican living in Puerto Rico and I will tell you that we rip ourselves apart and don't need the Act 60 for it... you can tell with all the alcohol, drogas, Bad Bunny Concert and the consumerism present in the island... you know the saying
Un Juey hala al otro Juey. Nothing will change until we stop blaming and start acting for ourselves.
@@DonesdeMotivacion There is a huge spiritual component to all this. Puerto Ricans are staunch Luciferian worshippers whether they know it or not. The deity they pray to, Jesus, is the mask for the devil - the sun god Azazel offspring of Lucifer (Gen.3:15); and as such give authority to the devil who doesn't have their best interest at heart. The island is also littered with idolatry which breaks the 1st and 2nd Commandments.
The true Deity, the Hebrew Jacobite MESSIAH YAHAWASHI, the Deity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is NOT about religion, but rather having a personal Covenant relationship with HIM via OBEDIENCE to HIS Commandments / Laws, which most Puerto Ricans on the island reject via their cult religions Catholicism / Christianity/ and those who follow Judaism. MESSIAH YAHAWASHI cannot, and will not help those who worship the devil. HE did NOT create religions as that is the creation of Lucifer to divide and conquer the mind and it's worked beautifully. The misery Puerto Ricans suffer is their own doing. For the record, I am Puerto Rican.
Stop voting for socialist policies and a socialist economy... But no, it's much easier to blame the rich for everything...
Shocker:. The exact same thing has happened in the mainland US. Wealthy Blackrock, Blackstone, State Street, and Vanguard have bought up many of the single family homes, only to strip them down and rent them at extremely high prices. Many many many Puerto Ricans have fled to Central Florida where Spa ish is quickly becoming the dominant retail language. So the investors flee from the mainland as a tax base and the Islander flee the island as a tax base to become renters again. Grass is always greener. The lack of administration and oversight in PR is the problem. We went to Dorado in the 1980's so that is not a product of Act 20 or 22. #Fact
I am puertorican and all I can say is that there is no middle class. Its so small its non existent. You are either rich or poor. Just cuz you make a couple more bux than your neighbor doesn't mean you're middle class or better.
This video makes me cry because I lived in Puerto Rico my whole life and seeing it crumble before my eyes really breaks my heart. The pain that we are living here is inmensurable and a lot of the people in my neighbourhoods have to leave to the states leaving everything behind.
Imagine a world where there would be a "Republica de Puerto Rico". Sad isn't it? Your island and it's people are nothing more than a bunch property to be moved around and processed with no care as to what may happen to the people and land. All for the benefit of some suburban White gringo who doesn't know or care about your culture outside of a temporary novelty.
@@Bubis5050 Funny enough a free puerto rico is like a boogeyman for most PR citizens.
@@platano8667 its not for many, we can have independence. We have to fight for it
To be fair, most of y’all’s ancestors are the rich Spaniards etc who came over and did the same exploitation of the indigenous peoples in the area before it was even a country. What y’all’s Spanish ancestors did are much, much worse than what current wealthy people are doing over there. Shit happens I guess
We'll have you wonder why protesters never want to allowed the construction of urbanization , apartment building in PR creating lack of homes? Right now over 99 % who is renting through Airbnb are locals looking to earn money (habichuelas) to feed their family
Thank you for the video and for letting everyone know what is going on in Puerto Rico 🇵🇷. ..
✊️🇵🇷✊️ KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK
🙏💙🙏
🙏💙🙏
May God Bless all Puertoricans living in Puerto Rico trying to keep the island PUERTO RICAN.
🇵🇷 BORICUA PRIDE 🇵🇷
AOC said it best at the close, society does best when everyone prospers not just a few. very informative.
.
Thank you for showcasing and exposing the reality of one of the most cruel colonial and imperialist experiments of the US: Puerto Rico, Boriké. Gracias.
While I understand there have been some wrongs in the past by the US but during the time when all large countries were colonizing smaller countries, if Puerto Rico had not been colonized by the US, it would have been colonized by another large country. At least part of Puerto Rico’s problems is conservative control of government, which has been for at least a while. Conservatives work for the wealthy and corporations, moderates de,s work for the wealthy/corporations but do more for the M&L classes, the far-left Dems, or whatever the equivalent party is worldwide work for a fair economy for all 3 classes and 3 business sizes, low income and wealth inequality, a very large M class bc that’s necessary to create the most successful country one can possibly create (as seen in the US, working toward it/reversing the damage conservative dominated government had done for at least the previous 50yrs 1933-1950 and reaching that fair economy during the 1950/1960’s. It wasn’t as fair race wise as it should have been bc the population wasn’t there yet but it was fair class wise). Conservatives don’t care to spend taxes on the M&L classes and certainly not on education bc a less educated population is easier to con. That’s why u see the majority of more educated ppl voting Dem or far-left Dem. This law 60 eliminating taxes for the wealthy in Puerto Rico was passed by Puerto Rico’s conservative government, not US government, correct? I don’t think Independence would fix these problems bc the population hasn’t yet figured out that their problem r the conservatives they r electing and unless Puerto Rico had the resources and military to fend off Russia and/or China, Russia/China would invade and occupy Puerto Rico, if not a U.S. territory, bc of its location to the U.S and possibly UK territories. The US has been dominated by conservative politicians (local, state, and federal governments, including the judiciary) most of the time since 1980. They’ve been reversing most all the gains we made from FDR’s, a far-left Dem, 4 landslide presidential elections, progressive policies, and clear swing to Dems down ballot from 1932-1979 when Reagan’s, a then far-right conservative, landslide election in 1980 followed by gop dominated government which continues to this day. M&L class ppl need to understand that any tax cut for the wealthy/corporations is a tax increase and/or debt increase for the M&L classes. Any income/wealth gain for the wealthy/corporations is an income/wealth decrease for the M&L classes. The money has to come from somewhere. It’s an income, wealth, and power see-saw between the wealthy/corporations vs the M&L classes. All those taxes that the wealthy and corporations aren’t paying, the M&L classes r paying in one form or another.
I am sorry I never knew, but I have met people that would go back to Puerto Rico but I can see why they can't go back.
Better than being a UK or French colony
Cb deja tu llanten y buscate un trabajo. 😂😂😂
@@janedoe3915right on the nail! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
A 3٪ tax? This has to be the most egregious example of the "trickle down" theory I have ever heard of.
It's not trickle down, it never was, money flows uphill --- ALWAYS! When the poor citizens of Puerto Rico pay for the roads and bridges via there 33% tax rate and the wealthy pay next to nothing the wealthy are benefiting from the labor and meager income of the poor while contributing little. Jake Paul et al are parasites!
3% while everyone else pays 33%.
You're comparing very different eras (including nuances like slavery and relative size of the US population over time). The greatest economic growth happened from 1946ish to 1975 or so where the top tax rate varied from 70-90%. Every time we've lowered corporate taxes and income taxes for the highest bracket for the last 100 years pretty much everyone suffers other than a few exploiters.
@crazyeight9
Absolutely true.
But the US had a hefty import tax in its place. Other than the issue of slavery, this was a major reason the southern states wanted to leave the union. They were mostly agrarian and sold their cotton far and wide. They had little manufacturing compared to the north.
They relied on imported goods for two reasons:
1.) The high priced, quality goods the plantation owners wanted were made mostly in Europe, and
2.) Importing products from Europe was a good way to ensure a market for their products.
@@crazyeight9 I wasn't surprised that you are a zero content troll! The "modern" income tax was instituted in 1913, but the federal government existed long before that so the money had to come from some place!
@ 17:15 I love an intelligent & beautiful woman who can confidently express and articulate a golden truth to a major global problem. This was a very insightful story. I'm in California and it's interesting to observe how much inequality exists in our present reality. What has happened to Puerto Rico is happening throughout our nation. Fascinating investigations!
The women you describe is a woke shill...which means you are a woke follower .
The unchecked immigration is a primary driver of this inequality. How do you ever get a handle on poverty with a never-ending stream of the world's poorest people coming here every day? That's just common sense.
People who don’t work and make $0 (on government programs) / government making inflation (others work harder) insures the differentials will always increase. That’s math
Lost all credibility when you said AOC is intelligent.
Would you please bring an investigation on the PR's Public Debt and benefited from it?
PR governors, borrowed to pay for annual recurring expenses as well as for poorly & incompetently designed & constructed infrustructure... I.e., bullet train cost twice as much 0:00 0:00 projected; took twice as long to build; travels half the speed because poorly designed & constructed; starts no where/ends nowhere; changed route on threat to accommodate/benefit some; carries and benefits a fraction of population promised to serve; stopped construction before completed original planned route. Failure to properly & fully plan, design, construct & budget to fully maintain & operate typical from generations of governments & parties!
I wouldn't use the word "surrendered". I'd use "sellout", here on the island there is a party called the PNP and their whole entire objective that they are so hellbent on accomplishing is statehood for Puerto Rico. Everyone hates these tax breaks, Puerto Rican locals, the US government, US activist groups, and many world renowned economists have called for Act60 in Puerto Rico to be taken down. But Pedro Pierluisi and his party PNP, they know its harming the island, but they are using Act60 as leverage to pressure congress to make Puerto Rico a state, because its harming the US economy too. Pierluisi himself said in an interview that congress has demanded him multiple times to take it down, but he will continues to refuse until they make the island a state first. And the Puerto Rican legislature, now controlled mostly by the PPD, did introduce a bill that would eliminate Act60 and it passed both houses, but when it got to governor Pierluisi, he vetoed the bill. This party is greedy, corrupt, and all the above bad. Everyone vote out PNP in the election next year lets bring down Act60 and put an end to all these real estate and crypto colonizers taking our homeland.
There are some people who say that the party leaders believe that if they can sufficiently tank the Puerto Rican economy, the US will have to make it a state. They obviously are not familiar with mainland Americans. Nobody on the mainland cares enough to come to Puerto Rico’s request economic rescue.
Lmao the pnp has like 40 percent of the vote
@__-nd5qi More like around 30% of the vote actually.
There's no rank choice voting or runoff elections in Puerto Rico, so that's how Pedro Pierluisi won the 2020 gubernatorial election with just 33% of the vote. Plus most people who vote PNP and also PPD vote not because they actually like the policies, they do it because they see the partiee like sports teams.
@@jlm3744 I’m pretty certain sports team mentality doesn’t go away because of rank choice
Also they got like 39 percent of the popular vote
@__-nd5qi I never said it did. What election are you talking about? Because the last gubernatorial election they got 33% of the vote.
It is shocking how rich people can flaunt their wealth, meanwhile their brother in the street toil and has barely enough to eat. These rich should be required to live amongst locals penniless for 2 years to qualify for Act 22.
Yeah sounds like Cuba before 1959 😂😂
If Puerto Rico's issues want to be taken seriously don't have AOC ever speak on your behalf
Boriken is broken. The land where I was born & the decades of knowledge that provided have been ruined by greed.
I too am one of the many that fled to the mainland in search of a greater future. Now living here I have learned and studied the Native American tribes and how they got pushed out of their own land to be given a small portion of secluded land while removing their freedom. We Tainos of Boriken have been experiencing this since 1492. Our land will never be free but we can strive to create a better future for our upcoming generations.
This also happened to the locals in the Hawaii islands.
That's right! We are suffering the "Hawaiinization" of Puerto Rico!
In Indonesia we drove past this ramshackled village where the locals were in total begging poverty. We got to a New Super Deluxe Hotel full of young cool Travellers enjoying the 'authentic' Tropical Island Experience.
The Hotel didn't even want to let me stay for a night because I was with my Indonesian Wife and they didn't want us to upset the white guests. Pretty sad really.
this is why i never pay for hotels
Same story in many parts of the world.
It's a worldwide phenomenon...
drove past is the key word the fact that there was a somthing TO Drive is an upgrade we don’t all come up to a standard at the same time.
@@user-xn1bo9rx5m - Except your standards are as high as the curb.
Thank you for caring about the island, also bringing this to light. Please continue informing us.
Margarita is like: They're ruining the neighborhood! ...while selling it to them. 😆
The fact that we get free videos from More Perfect Union on UA-cam is priceless, keeping the education and knowledge alive. 🙏🙏🙏
May I also remind you the fact that our Native American population in our motherland, the Continent of America before the European Colonizers arrived, was around 15 millions, while the European population in their motherland, the Continent of Europe was around 25 millions.
Today, Native American population is 15 million, while the European population, in the Continents of America + Europe, is a staggering TWO BILLION! A shocking sad truth. 😔
In my humble opinion, it's about time to decolonize the Colonized lands, and return it to rightful owners Native American people.
Notorious global cardinal crimes the Christian West has committed, and benefited a great deals, such as Slavery & Colonialism had long been over, why on earth is notorious Colonization still lingering on, may I ask? 🤷
Priceless!
My jaw dropped as I learned Native American population in their motherland, the Continent of America before the European Colonizers arrived, was around 15 millions, while the European population in their motherland, the Continent of Europe was around 25 millions.
Today, Native American population is 15 million, while the European population, in the Continents of America + Europe, is a staggering TWO BILLION.. It is a shockingly sad truth. 😔
Speaking of Native American people who have not occupied an inch of European land, or slaughtered a single European in Europe; while European Colonizers have occupied both North & South America lands and terminated 99.9% of Natives population.
- Speaking of Europe which is actually a huge livable Continent with 45 nations. Russia alone is a ginormous nation which occupies nearly half of Europe with a relatively small population. Nearly half of mainland Asia, from Siberia to Far-East Asia also is inside Russia.
- The 'land grab' is more of the same in Asia-Pacific region where European Colonizers such as Britain and Russia have already Colonized half of Asia, stretching from Australia/New Zealand, to Siberia/Far-East, all in Asia-Pacific region.😔
- No doubt, greed is a major driving force behind Genocide, Slavery, Colonialism and Colonization.
- Slavery, Colonialism & Colonization are all evil things done by evildoers.
The Christian West would commit and practice a great many cardinal sins, many of them knowingly, such as centuries-long global;
- 'Colonization',
- 'Genocide',
- 'Slavery',
- 'Colonialism',
- 'Global Warming', etc which benefits them enormously for centuries worldwide; then they would initiate and take a measure to ban those practices worldwide, and take credit for it.
(Note: Today's global warming is caused in large part by nearly two centuries of excessive coal burning, mainly in the West).
Slavery, Colonialism and Colonization are evil things done by evildoers.
For instance, here in Singapore, a tiny island with 6 million souls lives like sardines in a can, where else in nearby vast bountiful Australia in Asia-Pacific region which is ten thousand times 10,000 bigger with a mere 27 million inhabitants.
A similar situation in tiny and packed Japan, which is running out of space and land. Do you know that their living room and bedroom are the same place, and that most Japanese people sleep in their living room.
Anglo Western Colonization of,
- North America & South America,
- Siberia & Far-East Asia,
- Australia & New Zealand in Asia-Pacific. 😔
- Europe for Native Europeans,
- Africa for Native Africans,
- America for Native Americans,
- Asia-Pacific for Native Asians-Pacific islanders. 🤷
Anglo Western Colonization of,
- North America & South America,
- Siberia & Far-East Asia,
- Australia & New Zealand in Asia-Pacific. 😔
- Europe for Native Europeans,
- Africa for Native Africans,
- America for Native Americans,
- Asia-Pacific for Native Asians-Pacific islanders. 🤷
One horrible impact that wasn't really covered is how it's effected healthcare, especially all of those people living in poverty. We had planned to partially retire to Puerto Rico until we saw first hand how bad the healthcare is- having family members get really poor care multiple times. There are many reasons why it's bad, but the new rules have accelerated the decline of the healthcare system in Puerto Rico. For the people who don't have the means to move, this is a horrible outcome.
And has been pointed out- the rich take a lot of pleasure in the anarchy. Horrible people. The worst of the worst.
All the rich ???
The rich like anarchy? Let's just compare the level of chaos in a "rich" neighborhood to the level chaos to a poor neighborhood... you're a victim created by your own victimhood beliefs.
YOU EXPLOIT WHENEVER YOU CAN. IT'S CALLED SURVIVING
This is the reason I left the island at 17 years old. This corporate invasion is been taking place since the 1980’s. This is nothing new. This is a Reganomics laboratory.
I see the same thing going on in Florida. Entire beaches with chains along the property lines telling people walking along the beach to keep out. Entire businesses operating under tents with no permanent structures, no water systems or sewage. Literally extension cords, generators water tanks and port a potties. OMG....😮
Anyone paying attention knew that reagonomics would not be good for the working class. Giving your money and resources to the rich so it can trickle down to the workers has been proven throughout history to never work yet somehow they convinced all these working class republicans that this was good economics and we've all been paying for it for over 40 years now.
Huh. It is almost like the 1% votes Democrat and Republican depending on which group is currently doing more to appease them!! smh
Truth.
I don't think you even know what your talking about, I never gave my money to the rich and i doubt you do, maybe you trade your time for money but that is a personal problem, if you think more taxes is the answer then your just a clown, hint the rich can pay the taxes and get around them
Who forced you to be poor? Was it by choice?
Still blaming Republicans after 40 years? Really?
As a puertorriqueño that drives once a week from the coast to the mountains in the center I can confirm there are no roads there are only pot holes
Puerto Ricans aren't Spanish and Hispanic and Latino until given back to Spain and getting independence only from Spain your Americans who speak Spanish
@@familyandfriends3519 You seem pretty confused. Spain's new world empire fell apart under many forces, and all sorts of former Spain colony residents consider themselves Latino or Latina without having to fight their own special independence struggle. Many did of course, but not all.
Also, this is not how identity works, nor how countries work. People who are American citizens who speak Spanish can be Hispanic and/or latino. Occupied territories can consider themselves not belonging to the occupier.
Lmaaao those damn potholes!!
well this has always been like that, always since I have memory, not because of any Crypto billionaire, blame the local govt.
THATS BECAUSE OF CORRUPTION FROM GOV. MADE UP OF THE LOCAL CITIZENS WHO ARE VERY CORRUPT. WE OWE THEM NOTHING
I grew up in the Caribbean and from way back before the rise of Trinidad ,Bahamas, purto Rico was the most developed Caribbean Island being part of the US it,s very unbelievable that it,s that bad in purto Rico.
I got to see and enjoy Puerto Rico , by way of US Navy in the 70, 71 cruises. Almost no modernization and a very nice place to vist. The Puerto Rican Liberation Army kept remote places as their own. They live high up and beyond cities, frequently robbing travelers. Rosevelt Rhodes was a US Navy base I also ported in Rico. The Navy base was the most beautiful I ever saw I'm sure. Oh , and the memories of lovely Guantanamo Bay Cuba is a short distance of Sea Miles away. GITMO 70, 71, 72, for this graduate of 1969 / Adventurer.
I went to Rosey Rhodes and Gitmo also ten eleven years later. I jumped off the peers on Rhosey and picked crabs. Gitmo was a vip trip, but saw the jungle up the river to the bay in which we anchored to fly off officers. Puerto Rico is in Trouble due to selfishness and greed.
If Logan Paul is involved it involves something shady
sigh
Has he paid back the people he scammed with his NFT egg hatching scam?
@@Power_to_the_people567 No, He stated he would like a year ago.
@@IL_Bgentyl So he still is a PoS
He needs to be unalived. Everywhere he goes he's disrespectful as fuck to the people who actually live there. Will never forget his fake ass apology for the suicide forest incident. Fucking rich white boys think the world is theirs to own. Makes me sick.
Free Puerto Rico.
The U.S. is unlikely to let go of its territories (colonies) as long as there is some benefit (e.g. people serving in the U.S. military) without having to give up anything (e.g. votes in Congress). The U.S. is also unlikely to allow its territories to join the Union because there is Supreme Court precedent stating that people in the territories are "unintelligent black people" (that's mild wording compared to the actual language produced by the Supreme Court which is loaded with the worst bigotry and racism you've ever seen) and therefore "not educated enough" to join the United States as a state. Congress then relies on that ruling to do nothing. I'm not saying that Puerto Ricans can't decide what you want to do for yourselves but you'll probably have to go to war against the U.S. whichever way you do want to go.
Puerto Rico has voted six times to remain part of the US. No one is holding them against their will.
@@daniels.3062 Yes you are. The western corpo-state media has brainwashed them. Any referendum held is invalid.
puerto rico would be even worse off
Reunification of Puerto Rico with Spain
I felt the same way about Jamaica. Beautiful country but it’s been exploited and extreme poverty everywhere.
Thanks for pointing out the exact reasons for Puerto Rico’s economic issues, I knew it was bad but not this bad.
This Is Totally unfair 😢
The "donate to local charities" part of the law is so ridiculous because most of these "investors" actually donate the minimum required amount to shell charities formed by other A20/22/60 beneficiaries. Many "Move to PR" conventions have had panels like this in the past & it got to the point that the local division of the FBI had to show up to warn people against doing that. IRS teamed up with Hacienda last year & they're having a field day down here hunting for tax evaders; they've found millions of dollars so far. Will probably find more in the future.
The abandoned school shown in this video is still under investigation since according to a law from a few years back, these school buildings were only supposed to be rented to nonprofit or community organizations so that they could serve local needs. A hotel/STR run by a hedge fund would violate that but then again, it's San Juan & they pull illegal garbage like that all the time that ends up in court. Currently, there are advocates trying to get laws passed so that there can be stricter regulations on the amount of STRs in any given area, who can actually own them (no PEs/foreign investment groups) & how long they can sit empty. Hope that they are successful in the long run.
If any real progress is to be made on the island, we need more financial audits/transparency, more anticorruption reforms, further investment in renewable energy, better enforcement of existing laws, and tax reform that incentivizes workers, people who come from the mainland to do essential services (ex. construction, medical professionals).
+++
Lots of anarchists based on the graffiti. They REALLY don't like the government, can't really blame them.
Easy to be an anarchist when you've got money.
@@millenialsmom2214 or when you live in a state that only cares about money while you have none
Plus, aren't the cryptocurrency schemes, which most of those billionaires made their suspicious fortunes off of, just glorified pump-and-dump scams? Is there any way they made that money legally to begin with?
@@millenialsmom2214or when your people have been bombed and mass surveilled for like 60 years for having the audacity to want autonomy.
@@millenialsmom2214 lol wut... the Puerto Ricans who are spraying graffiti are not the ones with money. But it is an island with highly educated people... I will give you that.
These rich folks do not care about the masses. All they think is their pockets
Poor people steal from poor people too. I don't know you think rich people would be different?
Lo más trágico de todo esto es que el pueblo sigue votando y manteniendo a los mismos políticos.
Qué ha hecho AOC por Puerto Rico? Lo que se le unta al queso. Nada!
I'm Puerto Rican and I can attest this is true.
It's happening to New Zealand as well, population doubled in my life time watching services struggle, health, education, housing, police etc etc.
exactly and the housing is way too much and where im from (taupo) its actually crazy how much houses r selling for what ur getting, aunty paid 700 grand for what looks like a shack with no double glazing, muggy inside unsafe for kids, broken floorboards etc
It is terrible what has happened to Puerto Rico...ugh. Sad.
4:18 - Hey California tax board, you should investigate this couple for tax evasion. They are CA residents posing as PR residents.
You know something is broken when businesses and families are displaced so that buildings and homes can sit vacant.
This is the story of every Black and Hispanic New York neighborhood. Owners bought up entire blocks, displaced the residents and allowed the building to deteriorate until what we are seeing now could begin....gentrification. The children of these wealthy land barons move in start jogging and eating at Starbucks and prices for housing skyrockets. Thats the game. Complaining won't fix anything.
PAY YOUR BILLS
Unfortunately, it's not broken. It's going exactly as planned.
Exploitation is always blamed. You never look at corruption in their own government. Look at the number of buildings full of resources for the population,from the last deadly hurricane, as an example. The population never received it.
"The President of Puerto is Corrupt !!!"
-Former US President
Donald Trump
Great reporting......Really eye opening to hear and to see what going on in PR......👏🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👏
Very nice report and a great public service. Thank you!
Common American statement: " America is not imperialist and has never had colonies. That was part of our founding fathers like mottos because they themselves were an exploited colony."
Me: points to Puerto Rico points to martial islands points to Guam points to American Samoa points to American Virgin Islands. And do not get me started on other forms of imperialism that do not mean that our country directly owns them
Do americans actually say this? Seems very obviously false, we just got in the game a little later.
@@jsrodman if you ask a lot of Americans about the "territories" which is what they are refered too, most have little to say and see them simply as a territory and give little thought to it being a colony or not. Alot of them would most likely just assume they are just like us and that's it. And that's if they even know they exist at all. As for those that truly know they either of a similar mind of them needing to stop being oppressed or just think they are dirty savages land and that they can't even self govern so meh
To be fair Ive never heard an American say this. The US became a vastly different country after the first world war.
The majority of Americans are not in the government. You need to distinguish from the people and the government. They hide a lot of things from everyday people.
@@WoodlandSocialistYou just contradicted yourself lol.
I have people in New Jersey telling me to go home. I go to Puerto Rico and the same people are living In Puerto Rico, why??!
This is a new type of colonization.
I blame this on the corruption of the government. I am upset because we cannot find affordable housing for middle class. I would love to have the luxury to be able to walk down the street free from racism and not be called by cops. I can’t help how I despise for a certain group of people because that group discriminated me since I was a child. I did not understand racism at the time because I was young. I don’t care what anybody says they will always see us as less. They will never understand racism.
You have to tell them. They are the immigrants and children of immigrants. Puerto Ricans are not immigrants. At this moment, the USA is the owner of puerto Rico.
If they have an issue with that. You tell them to take up their grievances with the United States Congress.
puerto rican isnt a race, you are making things up in your head. Puerto rico has the highest % of spanish DNA (so white ) in all of latin america. You cannot even tell the average puerto rican from an italian or greek person.
@gibememoni You need to pull your college degrees out of your A$$. Three DNA LINES make up the puerto rican. We were not talking about race. In one family, you can find . Black, White , and brown. Same mother same father.. Mexico is not a race. But we call them Mexican. Mexicans never took over puerto rico. They belonged to the same empire.
I never mentioned anything about Puerto Rican being a race. I only mentioned about an experience I went through. So please don’t come trolling with your ignorant comment. Just Pease read my comment and try to comprehend what I and many others are going through then you can come and comment.
@gibememoni This is what they don't teach you in school. There are two groups of people in the United States of America. 1 The captured Americans. Hawaiians, Apache, Cherokee, Seminole, Guam, Iroquois, Comanche, Huron, Northern Mariana islands, American Samoa, REAL BLACK AMERICANS , Navajo, American Virgin Islands, Lakota, Inuit, Puerto ricans. The United States of America is an empire that contains many nations. This empire is controlled by a REPUBLIC that is not democratic. While immigrants were jumping into the line of prosperity, REAL BLACK AMERICANS had to sit in the back of the bus . 2. Immigrants and children of immigrants are the other group in the United States of America. I'll demonstrate right now the difference between the two groups. When Maui was burning. Joe Biden forgot to send the United States Navy to assist in rescue operations in Muai. When Russia attacked Ukraine. They were preparing a multi billion dollar package for Ukraine the very next day . What did the Hawaiians get????? Wait for it!! $700 BUCKS.......... Did you hear that thud? That was the mic dropped on your head. Any ivory tower professors who can refute this. Please step front and center. If your argument has only slander and no substance , don't waste my time.
Pedro Albizu Campos was right! Free Puerto Rico! Puerto Rico for Puerto Ricans!
The rich are looking tastier every day
☠
they will give you bad heart burn
Thank you for showing this video, it's so sad😢
Gracias por este reportaje.
I had no idea how bad the inequality in PR was! Dam! No wonder so many native Puerto Ricans have left the island. They are literally being economically starved from their homes. And the American News media once AGAIN, says nothing at all about it.
I think the rich Puerto Ricans, like all these reguetoneros that say they are so proud to be PR should make a stand to help with their influences. It’s disgusting how the government lets these rich people take advantage of the situation.
Guy is right. " These investors don't watch TV all day " They play golf and walk along the beach!
What are they spending their money on in your opinion?
@@FiringSquad81 on themselves. Not to better society!!
i was coming here to defend the government of puerto rico’s decision to have no income tax, but when i learned that it doesn’t apply to actual natives of puerto rico i was disgusted.
thank you for this video.
This isn't true. The 4% corporate tax for export services applies equally to natives. There is a lot of woke bias in this video.
Yep...and as usual a lot of victimhood .
As a former resident of PR, I m grateful of these reports. However, it seems that Puerto Rico for the reporters is only the metropolitan area of San Juan, Dorado, and the such. San Juan alone is not Puerto Rico. They should try to travel to the rest of the island, there is Ponce, Mayagüez, Maricao, Utuado, Isabela, and about 70 plus towns in PR. In my opinion, as I was born and raised there, is that towns far from San Juan, meaning like two hours by car at least, suffer even more all these social discrepancies and legal abuses thrown to residents by inept and corrupt politicians. E.g., millions spent on a subway line that only covered two towns in the metro area, that hardly nobody uses, accruing debt and no profit at all. Solution? extend it to another metro area and see what happens. Nobody though in trying to improve transportation, in other big cities 'de la isla" , that do not even have a bus system. One people, two Puerto Rico's.
This is journalism at its finest.
No one has ever said it better than you. Gracias❤!
Very upsetting. The same thing is also happening here in Hawaii.
Already happened
It's all about to change! Don't you worry!
No it's not. There's zero comparison. Hawaii is one of the highest income states in the US with a vastly lower poverty rate and has benefits as a state that Puerto Rico can only dream of. That's about like Californians saying "Oh boo-hoo it's happening here too". Please...
@@jeffmorse645 White-splaining things you absolutely know nothing about. Do you even live in Hawaii or Puerto Rico? If not, shut up.
Most likely the reason that purchased school property lays there undeveloped is that the owners are making an insane amount of money and they have slick accountants. The accountants told them to purchase it - and declare it as a revenue loss to use it as a tool to avoid paying taxes. This is a typical RE Investor tactic. They will also trade properties with each other just for this purpose "Hey Bobby, let me get that POS property from you - so I can declare as a tax loss on paper"
Arrest corrupt politicians
It’s time Puerto Rico becomes the 51 state. People don’t invest in the island, celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Pitt Bull don’t want to invest on the island because they don’t know it’s future. If the U.S doesn’t want it, they should give it to Canada. I’m sure they will make good use of it and no more poverty.
This was a good start. However, this deserves a much deeper treatment, and more perspectives from people living and working there.
Amen
I live in PR but travel to the mainland for work because salaries here are so low. I'm out every other week and it's a sacrifice to do so but I will die here before leaving.
I moved to Puerto Rico last year as an Act 60 participant, and can say this video is dishonest and misleading. For example, the claim about unequal tax rate is simply false. The journalist is confounding income taxes, corporate taxes, and capital gains taxes to make the program appear unfair, while in truth the only the only aspect of Act 60 not available to existing residents is the capital gains part, and even that is available to Puerto Ricans who are returning to the island after living away for 15 years. One quick fact: There are over 3 million people living in Puerto Rico. The 5,000 Act 60 participants who have moved to the island account for maybe 1 out every 500 residents. How is adding one wealthy person per every 500 existing residents driving up home prices and consuming government services? The truth is Act 60 has had a positive impact on the economy of Puerto Rico, however it has been less impactful than originally envisioned. The claim that Act 60 is harmful to PR is simply false and dishonest. There a many other dishonest claims in the the video, and too many lies-of-omissions to count. I do not have time right now to explain all of them but will write more later, or possibly create a response video.
@@ChrisTopher-pr5lcPlease do a response video
Excellent video. I left the island a couple of years ago because the government also makes it very difficult to puertorricans starting their new business, but they give millions of $ to foreigners. I love my island, but will never go back...
Sorry, asking sincerely. What does starting a business have to do with the government?
Start with the 83 billion that we owe to the gringos who invested in PR under the 501's (tax free) at 10% yield. They will push the people out of the Island. See what's they R doing to Hawaii they will do it in our Island.
They put many obstacles, regulations, and licenses that are sometimes almost impossible and expensive, especially expensive for those who live on the island. In comparison, for example to opening a business in FL (for example). @@christopherblaisdel
@@christopherblaisdel Regulations and red tape. They can put up so many hurdles to get started it is not worth it.
@@yaimavolHere in the united states it is illegal to even cut somebody's hair without paying the government licensing fees, attending a special certified school, then working as an apprentice under another certified beautician / barber for often times years. Yet we don't have a shortage of barber shops. What could they possibly be adding to this in Puerto Rico?
It's getting like that in Nashville, Houston, Denver, Orlando, New Orleans, and Atlanta
For sure some individuals in the Puerto Rico government are benefiting from this
Sí, todos son corruptos. Unos han corrompido más que otros. Y la gente los sigue eligiendo desgraciadamente.
Tax-Free Wealth, in Puerto Rico, Not Only Hurts Puerto Rico, it also Takes Tax Money Away from Mainland States.
Very informative. I visited as a tourist, and I was shocked and depressed at the disparity of poverty. Let's face it, people of color around the world are challenged by the privileged.
“Como agarrar una plantita. Levantarla. Se queda las raíces aquí. Y tratarle mover a otro lado.”
Así es.
Hola
Hola, ¿podemos ser amigos?