Could Puerto Rico become America's 51st state? episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 23, 2023 · 18 MIN

Could Puerto Rico become America's 51st state?

from The Explanation · host BBC World Service

As a US territory, Puerto Rico uses the dollar, its people are US citizens and they can move freely back and forth. However, it isn’t a US state, and its residents can’t vote in presidential elections or for members of Congress.The country has a deep debt crisis, high unemployment and has experienced devastating hurricanes and earthquakes. As a result, migration to the US is common, with almost a million more Puerto Ricans in the US than on the island. In 2020, a non-binding referendum resulted in Puerto Rico voting again to become a US state. But will it ever happen?BBC Mundo’s Ronald Avila-Claudio tells us more about his homeland and what the future might hold.Presented by Claire Graham and produced by Owen McFadden for the BBC World Service.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 23, 2023

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Could Puerto Rico become America's 51st state?

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