President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order designating English as the official language of the U.S., sparking concerns among Puerto Rican officials and advocates about the impact on Puerto Rico, a Spanish-speaking U.S. territory. The order would allow agencies to decide when to offer services in languages other than English, with the intention to unify the American people. While Spanish and English are both official languages in Puerto Rico, Spanish remains the main language in government and public affairs, but English is a mandatory academic course.
Rep. Pablo José Hernández, a Puerto Rican congressman, expressed concerns about the potential conflict between American and Puerto Rican identity, emphasizing the importance of maintaining Puerto Rico’s unique culture and language. Supporters of statehood like Governor Jenniffer González and Charlie Rodríguez argue that statehood does not threaten Puerto Rican identity and see minimal impact from the new language designation.
The debate over Puerto Rico’s status and future territorial status remains divisive on the island, especially in relation to language preservation. Power 4 Puerto Rico, a coalition advocating for Puerto Ricans, raised concerns about the preservation of Spanish during discussions in Congress about Puerto Rico’s status. The organization emphasized the importance of specifying language rights in any legislation related to Puerto Rico’s status.
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