Puerto Rico and its residents’ inequalities have led to movements to change the island’s status. Six votes have been held on the island between 1967 and 2020 to give Puerto Ricans the option of changing their status. Though they vary, each has presented various options, such as Puerto Rico becoming an independent nation or transforming it into a state within the U.S. So far, only a fraction of Puerto Ricans have voted for independence. Statehood has been a more popular option. In 2020, over 52% of Puerto Ricans supported statehood. Still, such a change would require Congress’s action, which has been unenthusiastic about altering Puerto Rico’s status.

There has been some movement coming from Washington in recent years toward statehood. Notably, the House passed legislation in 2022 allowing Puerto Ricans to hold a binding vote on statehood. All House Democrats and over a dozen Republicans supported the measure. Though it did not clear the Senate, such a move demonstrated the growing consensus, at least among Democrats, toward statehood.

“For the first time in our nation’s history, the U.S. recognized its role as a colonizing force,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said as she presided over the 2022 vote, adding that the resolution did not favor any particular outcome for Puerto Rico but “allows Puerto Ricans to choose.”

Whether Puerto Ricans will ultimately get to choose their fate remains an open question. For now, this week is a stark reminder of just how long that choice has been denied to the island.