San Juan

[Reality]

Hey Guys Bronx monger here comming down in a couple weeks will be staying in Isla Verde wanted to know whats going on and get some pointers!

Is it easy for a gringo to get around - walking, driving? Where should I go ? I would like to be safe and not have to worry.

Will be down the 28 to the 1st, so a couple weeks from now, thats all. Let me know, even just good restuarants and things like that. Is it easy to drive? Do most speak english?

Thanks,

Bx Loco

Its sort of like driving in New York where you have to watch your back because driving here kinda sucks since you have to have your defensive up.

Also check out the Alternative Massage in Isla Verde to get some action thats between the pizzeria and bamboos cafe (i think thats the name).

Do NOT go to Divas, DO NOT go to Santrope, DO NOT got to cheetas these strip clubs are overpriced and you will not get any action.

Grab a cab and tell him to take to you Frenchies in Santurce or Frenchies in Hato Rey (although this one is smaller and more run down). Allot of fine chicas who will go all the way.

WARNING PUERTO RICO IS NOT CHEAP. If you want cheap sex change your ticket to Dominican Republic.

P.S Most folks know some english, so dont get frustrated.

[Bx Loco Gringo]

Hey Guys Bronx monger here comming down in a couple weeks will be staying in Isla Verde wanted to know whats going on and get some pointers!

Is it easy for a gringo to get around - walking, driving? Where should I go ? I would like to be safe and not have to worry.

Will be down the 28 to the 1st, so a couple weeks from now, thats all. Let me know, even just good restuarants and things like that. Is it easy to drive? Do most speak english?

Thanks,

Bx Loco

[Reality]

Hello all, planning to move to San Juan in January for a little while (job related).

Looking for a website for escorts in San Juan, but googled and couldn't find one?! Anyone know of any sites for chicas?

Also, anyone with any volunteer information about areas to live in ( I have to be near universidad de puerto rico (preferably north of the university)), etc. private message me. Thanks all!

Well first let me say welcome to Puerto Rico. Now since you will be studying in the UPR, I assume its on the main campus of Rio Piedras there are numerous cheap apartments to rent in that area for students, although its not exactly 5 star or anythinng at least your close to classes. Another thing you should keep in mind is that once you get a job save up to buy a car used or new doesnt matter just that you need a car if your going to get around in PR.

Also escorts dont normally visit residential areas i mean some do ofcourse but the mayority of an escorts clientel are from the hotels. Not to mention they are kind of overpriced anyway.

Honestly since your going to be in the UPR, i just suggest you go to the student center and look up info on the latest party or group meeting, Also there is a very popular student bar called "El Ocho de Blanco" in that area as well as other bars that get packed with students playing pool and drinking having a good time.

Dont act like a drunken asshole and you should have a good time.

Cheers!

[Perry Mason #1]

Jon,

I just sent you a PM with specific details on living arrangements near UPR.

If you´ll be at UPR-Recinto Rio Piedras (the main campus) you could either live in nearby Rio Piedras (lots of students on one part of the barrio, lots of Dominicans on the other side, kinda dumpy overall) but very close to campus and generally pretty cheap.

If you have your own wheels and the cash then I´d go for Viejo San Juan as you´re in the most desirable place to live and always close to the action however parking can be a real pain as well as traffic to get to the campus.

Forget about the escort scene website or any decent p4p action in my opinion. Reality and I disagree on the degree of how bad it sucks and as to the best spots to catch local non-pro ladies.

PM me for any other specific questions.

[Jon32]

Hello all, planning to move to San Juan in January for a little while (job related).

Looking for a website for escorts in San Juan, but googled and couldn't find one?! Anyone know of any sites for chicas?

Also, anyone with any volunteer information about areas to live in ( I have to be near universidad de puerto rico (preferably north of the university)), etc. private message me. Thanks all!

[BoricuaOnline]

Yes, Puerto Rico has a high murder rate. Not bigger than in Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Venezuela and other latin countries. Crime in PR has more media publicity than in almost any USA city and latin countries, creating an impression that PR is more dangerous than any other place. But the crime is not spread across the country. Just avoid the bad areas. Must of crime is drug related, so if you are not in that business you dont have to be scared. NY statitiscs are not fair, I have an uncle that is on NYPD and he told me that over 150 deads from car to car gun shootings were classiffied as car accidents. So you can play with statistics. In the last 15 yrs. only 2 tourists have been killed here, the first one drug related and the other was killed by a "friend" from Chicago.

In conclusion, if you are not into illegal activities PR is a very safe place, just take the normal precautions you take in any city.

And about the topic of this forum, prostitution, yes, local scene sucks. Thanks God is not difficult to get a girl in parties on discos and dancing saloons and pubs.

[Reality]

Reality,

First of all, I´d like to know where you found statistics to refute my claim about the crime rate in Puerto Rico. Read the statistics found in my last post regarding violent crime in Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, criminal enterprise isn´t always very clear about the subdivisions of their nefarious activities. There is plenty of cross-over in the realms of illegal enterprise: Guns, Drugs, Prostitutes, Money-Laundering, etc. Additionally, Puerto Rican police are ill equipped to fight the worst of the criminal offenders on the island. Travelers take note and carry a big stick.

Okay fuck you with your big stick comment. Second I LIVE IN PUERTO RICO. I have lived here for 25 years! if anyone is qualified to talk about PR its me. Third the police are no sufficient because the goverment short changes them, they get paid peanuts, which has lead to corruption in the police force. Drug trade is the big crime in Puerto Rico but as for guns and prostution, not that much. Rossello closed all the brothels in Puerto Rico and the church groups would jump down the politicians throats if they heard of one opening up again.

Secondly, almost always the best guidebooks and travel narratives are written by foreigners who have spent a year or two in the destination in question. They write with an understanding of their audience and are critical of things that the local has grown used to. Therefore, I disagree with your argument that because you have lived on the island for 25 years means you know what your talking about.

This is the most ridiculous thing i have ever read.

Unfortunately, Puerto Ricans are generally too proud to write anything critical about their island so it takes an outsider to give that critical perspective.

Not only is this comment bordeline racist but its completly inacurate, Puertocians have written many books critizing the current society. We debate about our future and how we treat the land we live in. So we dont sugarcoat anything, there are mayor problems in Puerto Rico brought about by our goverment and greed. Can we solve it? perhaps over time. But dont sit there and tell me that Puertoricans are stupid and naive because its that kind of ignorance that has made the world a unsafe place to be.

[DonRicoh]

Hi everyone:

The honest truth is ASS is expensive in PR. $120-150 in parlors. And $100 in private residences that serve as brothels.

I have some NEW, I recently contacted the pimp of the reggaeton "models"(*****s) that rutinely are paid for sex and then appear in music videos. I am talking about the gatas...By the way I HATE reggaeton.

The guy has an answering machine and you must place an order to get a call back. He asks for $200-300 for each girl, but the girls I spoke to, are willing to go as low as $150. What does this mean? NEW MEAT, and the ability to get those girls on the damn videos.

The other unknown source of Putas is Dominican owned bars in Carolina, just last week, one was intervened and a brothel was in work in a back room. I just need to find some of those bars.

Also I have an Idea on how to get phone numbers from girls, I want to post an ad in the Vocero, looking for girls for a new club, during the auditions I can get their phone #'s and see the quality of the girls, something you cannot do in the dark MP's. I have been flirting with the idea of opening one such place and later on, import talent from Brazil.

I'm looking for Redheads, and if you provide me with a good contact. I will gladly pay you a round of beers.

Sincerely, Don Ricoh

[Perry Mason #1]

Reality,

First of all, I´d like to know where you found statistics to refute my claim about the crime rate in Puerto Rico. Read the statistics found in my last post regarding violent crime in Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, criminal enterprise isn´t always very clear about the subdivisions of their nefarious activities. There is plenty of cross-over in the realms of illegal enterprise: Guns, Drugs, Prostitutes, Money-Laundering, etc. Additionally, Puerto Rican police are ill equipped to fight the worst of the criminal offenders on the island. Travelers take note and carry a big stick.

Secondly, almost always the best guidebooks and travel narratives are written by foreigners who have spent a year or two in the destination in question. They write with an understanding of their audience and are critical of things that the local has grown used to. Therefore, I disagree with your argument that because you have lived on the island for 25 years means you know what your talking about.

Unfortunately, Puerto Ricans are generally too proud to write anything critical about their island so it takes an outsider to give that critical perspective.

[Reality]

WOW!

Thankfully, the casinos are not just filled with rich gringos and $300 *****s. Actually there are plenty of Jeebaros(country-folk) who have come down from the hills to have fun in San Juan. Plenty of these ladies in the 27-35 age group go the Casinos to party. It has been my experience that if you have a little game and can communicate in Spanish they are more than willing to have a one night stand with a pimped out Gringo.

Pimped out meaning young and in good shape with pleanty of money, If your an older overweight gringo on a budjet, forget about a one night stand.

I agree that Old San Juan is a great place to party. Yet the crowd tends to be younger and local and more interested in drinking. I'm sure you'll agree that the ladies from San Juan proper are of a different cut of cloth. Old San Juan is a great place to get tanked and to be seen not to find a local one night stand...

Proper women dont have one night stands, now let say you court a ladie for a few weeks youll probably get lucky. Unless ofcourse you are in shape and have a good outgoing personality you might have better chances.

Piniones? You think this is a good place for a Gringo to find local women? This place is great for a beach jaunt during the day but it is a different story at night. Sure there is that one Argentinian owned beach bar that sometimes has a good party going on but the rest of that area is not advised for Gringo revelers. First, it is a Regga-tone (that crappy-ass spanish gansta rap) heavy music scene which means every young, wanna-be, drug dealing punk is there and packing heat to prove it. Locals? Again, if not at the Argentinian bar are probably not the kind you want to meet.

Reggeton is not all of the music you will hear, you will also hear bachata, merengue and salsa. I have never had a problem or seen much problems in Piniones, mostly its just the working class wanting to drink, dance and have a good time. Ofcourse if your an obnoxious loud gringo then thats another story.

I've spent plenty of time there both during the day and in the evening and it is also where I've seen the post gun-play, shootings, and slowest police response time.

Never seen much gun play but then again I dont usually stay till 4am, it seems like crime usually ocourse between the hours 3am till 6am.

You're right that both Condado and Isla Verde are tourist traps but there are also some great local heavy bars and clubs in each area. Additionaly, how is Old San Juan not toursity?

Isla Verde has more comercial bars than Old San Juan, also Condado is just way to overpriced.

Your assessment of Puerto Rican women is also way off base. If anything you describe some New-Yorkian based sterotype of low level trash. You've been watching too much West Side Story...

Considering that i have lived in Puerto Rico for 25 years I think i know what im talking about. Newyorican women are another story and you have a better shot at having a one night stand with one of those ladies.

Regarding the Crime Overview, I also agree that San Juan is not Baghdad! But nevertheless one needs to take care.

"Once again, Puerto Rico–with a population of 4 million–ended the year with an alarming homicide rate, higher than the three-largest cities in the mainland U.S. With 790 murders reported during 2004, the island had a higher murder rate than New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

For the third-consecutive year, the number of murders in New York City (total population 8 million) has been under 600, ending 2004 with 571 murders, 25 less than in 2003. Los Angeles (total population 4 million) reported 511 murders and, for the first time in four decades, Chicago’s (total population 3 million) homicide rate fell below 500 to 445, a 25% decrease compared to 2003.

Puerto Rico’s mean homicide rate is three times that of the total U.S. mainland and four times that of Europe. More than 60% of homicides on the island are linked to drug trafficking although sources within the Puerto Rico Police Department say the percentage may be as high as 75%. Yet, over 60% of all murders in PR are drug related."

You fail to note that the mayority of the homicide related crimes are

A) Domestic Violence
B)Drug related crime

And of the drug related crimes 80% of the victims were involved in drug related activity.

[Perry Mason #1]

WOW!

Thankfully, the casinos are not just filled with rich gringos and $300 *****s. Actually there are plenty of Jeebaros(country-folk) who have come down from the hills to have fun in San Juan. Plenty of these ladies in the 27-35 age group go the Casinos to party. It has been my experience that if you have a little game and can communicate in Spanish they are more than willing to have a one night stand with a pimped out Gringo.

I agree that Old San Juan is a great place to party. Yet the crowd tends to be younger and local and more interested in drinking. I'm sure you'll agree that the ladies from San Juan proper are of a different cut of cloth. Old San Juan is a great place to get tanked and to be seen not to find a local one night stand...

Piniones? You think this is a good place for a Gringo to find local women? This place is great for a beach jaunt during the day but it is a different story at night. Sure there is that one Argentinian owned beach bar that sometimes has a good party going on but the rest of that area is not advised for Gringo revelers. First, it is a Regga-tone (that crappy-ass spanish gansta rap) heavy music scene which means every young, wanna-be, drug dealing punk is there and packing heat to prove it. Locals? Again, if not at the Argentinian bar are probably not the kind you want to meet.

I've spent plenty of time there both during the day and in the evening and it is also where I've seen the post gun-play, shootings, and slowest police response time.

You're right that both Condado and Isla Verde are tourist traps but there are also some great local heavy bars and clubs in each area. Additionaly, how is Old San Juan not toursity?

Your assessment of Puerto Rican women is also way off base. If anything you describe some New-Yorkian based sterotype of low level trash. You've been watching too much West Side Story...

Regarding the Crime Overview, I also agree that San Juan is not Baghdad! But nevertheless one needs to take care.

"Once again, Puerto Rico–with a population of 4 million–ended the year with an alarming homicide rate, higher than the three-largest cities in the mainland U.S. With 790 murders reported during 2004, the island had a higher murder rate than New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

For the third-consecutive year, the number of murders in New York City (total population 8 million) has been under 600, ending 2004 with 571 murders, 25 less than in 2003. Los Angeles (total population 4 million) reported 511 murders and, for the first time in four decades, Chicago’s (total population 3 million) homicide rate fell below 500 to 445, a 25% decrease compared to 2003.

Puerto Rico’s mean homicide rate is three times that of the total U.S. mainland and four times that of Europe. More than 60% of homicides on the island are linked to drug trafficking although sources within the Puerto Rico Police Department say the percentage may be as high as 75%. Yet, over 60% of all murders in PR are drug related."

[Perry Mason #1]

WOW!

Thankfully, the casinos are not just filled with rich gringos and $300 *****s. Actually there are plenty of Jeebaros(country-folk) who have come down from the hills to have fun in San Juan. Plenty of these ladies in the 27-35 age group go the Casinos to party. It has been my experience that if you have a little game and can communicate in Spanish they are more than willing to have a one night stand with a pimped out Gringo.

I agree that Old San Juan is a great place to party. Yet the crowd tends to be younger and local and more interested in drinking. I'm sure you'll agree that the ladies from San Juan proper are of a different cut of cloth. Old San Juan is a great place to get tanked and to be seen not to find a local one night stand...

Piniones? You think this is a good place for a Gringo to find local women? This place is great for a beach jaunt during the day but it is a different story at night. Sure there is that one Argentinian owned beach bar that sometimes has a good party going on but the rest of that area is not advised for Gringo revelers. First, it is a Regga-tone (that crappy-ass spanish gansta rap) heavy music scene which means every young, wanna-be, drug dealing punk is there and packing heat to prove it. Locals? Again, if not at the Argentinian bar are probably not the kind you want to meet.

I've spent plenty of time there both during the day and in the evening and it is also where I've seen the post gun-play, shootings, and slowest police response time.

You're right that both Condado and Isla Verde are tourist traps but there are also some great local heavy bars and clubs in each area. Additionaly, how is Old San Juan not toursity?

Your assessment of Puerto Rican women is also way off base. If anything you describe some New-Yorkian based sterotype of low level trash. You've been watching too much West Side Story...

Regarding the Crime Overview, I also agree that San Juan is not Baghdad! But nevertheless one needs to take care.

"Once again, Puerto Rico–with a population of 4 million–ended the year with an alarming homicide rate, higher than the three-largest cities in the mainland U.S. With 790 murders reported during 2004, the island had a higher murder rate than New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

For the third-consecutive year, the number of murders in New York City (total population 8 million) has been under 600, ending 2004 with 571 murders, 25 less than in 2003. Los Angeles (total population 4 million) reported 511 murders and, for the first time in four decades, Chicago’s (total population 3 million) homicide rate fell below 500 to 445, a 25% decrease compared to 2003.

Puerto Rico’s mean homicide rate is three times that of the total U.S. mainland and four times that of Europe. More than 60% of homicides on the island are linked to drug trafficking although sources within the Puerto Rico Police Department say the percentage may be as high as 75%.Yet, over 60% of all murders in PR are drug related."

[Reality]

When it comes to getting laid in PR I think the best bet are the nice Casino hotels. There you'll meet both independent operators and plenty of Puerto Rican ladies with diamonds in their eyes looking to meet a Gringo. You'll need to dress the part and wear a suit or sports coat (don't worry the casinos are always air conditioned) At least this has been my experience, as there are still a ton of women on the island where being a gringo gets you half way there. Of course you're still required to close the deal on your own terms.

HAHAHA! Oh your serious?! Well first off your going to be paying throught the nose for a hooker who is working the casinos or more acuratly casino bars. Expect 300 dollars and up.

As for Boricua ladies looking for gringos, you are sadly mistaken. Let me tell you all about the local ladies and what they are looking for. First off Puertorican ladies are a pain in the ass. They are high mantanience horses but if your lucky to land one the benifits are incredible. If you are overweight and are not blessed with an incredible sense of hummor, head to the massage parlor. If you dont like to splurge on your ladie then head to the massage parlor. If you dont have a back bone and have never been in a fist fight then head to a massage parlor.

Puertorican ladies like to feel like they are protected. They like to feel like they will be taken care of both physically and economically, they like romance but dont go overboard, they like men who are hard to get but not ignored, they want a man they can show off to their girlfriends. Its all about balance. So if you dont feel like putting in the time into scoring with one of these fine ladies then dont bother. Oh and forget about 50 year old hooking up with a 25 year old. Go to Dominican Rep or Costa Rica if your looking for a young latina.

If you are serious about trying out the Non-Pro scene here are a few hot spots.

Old San Juan. OSJ is the pretty much were all the young college crowd goes to get drunk and play pool, youll find a wide array of bohemians, young preppies, rockers and some hip hop crowd. Your best bet to get in the groove of things is heading to OSJ, One word of advice though, dont attempt to drive into OSJ tge trafic is horrible, just hop into a cab and youll find another to head out.

Piniones (Pen-Neo-n-ehs) This is the were allot of Dominicans and college kids go to drink beer, eat fried food, and dance to Bachata or Merenge and Salsa Music on the beach, If you have a car i recomend driving in or making arrangements to be picked up by a cab since there are no cabs in the area.

Night Clubs

Probably the only night club i recomend is El Theatro, its probably the most popular night club in PR right now, plays allot of techno and american hip hop and they also have different themes on some nights. So be sure to ask the bouncer what their playing that night because you never know when its "gays only night"

Places to avoid.

Condado - Being as its the center of the gay comunity of PR i would avoid Condado if i were you, not to mention everything is overpriced there anyway with it being the most expensive property and comunity in PR.

Isla Verde - Mostly a tourist trap, All you are going to find there are more gringas, young rich preppy people, droves of couples looking for a romantic evening together.

The Bad News:

The traditional P4P outlets (i.e. Strip Clubs and Massage Parlors) can be very disappointing. First, the Strip Clubs are generally overpriced, stocked with mediocre girls, in dangerous areas, and many of the better looking ladies are not interested in P4P rather just milking you at the club.

Did you not read my post on the mongering scene in PR? God people Divas and Santrope are not the only strip clubs in PR! Jesus H Christ! And the mayority of the strip clubs are in safe areas.

There are plenty of areas that should be avoided at night. One needs to remember that there are over 80 competing cocaine cartels working on the island. PR is a large transshippment point for it. The murder rate is higher than anywhere in the U.S. and one should be extra careful in many of the poorer areas.

This is such an exageration, its not such a large jumping off points to the states Dominican Rep and Venezuela are the two main pipelines into the US drug trade, weve made allot of progress on the war against crime and i recent you ensenuating that its like open warfare on the streets of PR. Sure there are areas that you shouldnt go into (Parts of Santurce and Bayamon come to mind) But they are far away from the scenes and unless your blind and stupid you wont be anywhere near those areas.

As for the Massage Parlors there can be a few gems here but the problem is they close frequently and you have to be very capable in Spanish as some are just massage and some are massage plus. The women are usually Dominican, who many Puerto Ricans treat worse than 2nd Class Citizens.

Altenative Massage has been open for 5 years now and Pure Moods going on 8, not to mention more and more massage parlors open everyday i really cant keep up. Your assement of the knowlege of spanish as a pure nececity is a crock of #@$@#. 3 out of 5 massage parlors will have someone in charge that speaks the language considering that gringos are the main clients to the parlors most local mongers preffer to travel to DR to sastify their needs since DR is far cheaper than PR will ever be. As for Dominicans being treated badly by Puertoricans thats really uncalled for, consider that 40% of dominicans on the island are illegal immagrents who cant apply for the same jobs as legal dominicans can so their options are working at jobs for minimum wage usually manual labor or falling into the temptation to crime. Every year we get more and more Dominicans risking their lives to get to PR, trying to escape the corrupt and abusive Dominican Rep goverment that suffers no ill will from the United States goverment.

The debates over statehood, independence, and current free associated state status will continue. Just remember that currently the 60% of people on the island receives some form of welfare. The amount of the checks are capped by Congress due to the Free Associated State status. Statehood would mean that the checks would increase in their amount, Independence would mean that they would cease, and continued status means that the checks still keep coming but that you still get to send your own candidate to Miss Universe and your own PR Olympic team...

PR gets 3 Billion from the USA every years, if statehood would be applied PR would get more federal funding but the downside to this is that we would also get federal taxes and an increse in property tax. Indepence is not a viable option considering that only 7% of the population is pro-indepence the rest is stuck in a stalemate between status quo and statehood.

The US Goverment does not have any interest in Puerto Rico becoming a state considering that a) we would become a swing state b) and far importantly the main source of income in Puerto Rico are pharmacuticals, the reason is they get huge tax breaks for operating in PR due to its Comonwealth status, not to mention cheaper labor since we operate at a slightly lower pay than people in the states. Most jobs dont go over 7 or 8 dollars an hour and these are proffesional jobs. The PR workforce is more focused on benifits than increased pay. If we would become a state the corparate business would suffer.

[Bx Loco Gringo]

Hey Bronx Monger here,

I am going to be in PR the end of June and would like to see whats is going on there . I do not want to take a mortage out to find something and would rather see whats going on. Let me know and if any of you are in NYC I will be happy to help you with what I know there.

Thanks

Bx Loco

[Perry Mason #1]

Just got back from another trip to PR and wanted to post some general info for those who will be first time visitors to the island.

The Good News:

The drinking age in PR is 18.The legal age of consent in PR is 14. It is also the rum capital of the world and some bars never close. Gambling is also legal and there are several very nice casino/hotels in San Juan.

When it comes to getting laid in PR I think the best bet are the nice Casino hotels. There you'll meet both independent operators and plenty of Puerto Rican ladies with diamonds in their eyes looking to meet a Gringo. You'll need to dress the part and wear a suit or sports coat (don't worry the casinos are always air conditioned) At least this has been my experience, as there are still a ton of women on the island where being a gringo gets you half way there. Of course you're still required to close the deal on your own terms.

The Bad News:

The traditional P4P outlets (i.e. Strip Clubs and Massage Parlors) can be very disappointing. First, the Strip Clubs are generally overpriced, stocked with mediocre girls, in dangerous areas, and many of the better looking ladies are not interested in P4P rather just milking you at the club.

There are plenty of areas that should be avoided at night. One needs to remember that there are over 80 competing cocaine cartels working on the island. PR is a large transshippment point for it. The murder rate is higher than anywhere in the U.S. and one should be extra careful in many of the poorer areas.

As for the Massage Parlors there can be a few gems here but the problem is they close frequently and you have to be very capable in Spanish as some are just massage and some are massage plus. The women are usually Dominican, who many Puerto Ricans treat worse than 2nd Class Citizens.

Politically, PR is a "Free Associated State of the U.S.", the closest thing that the U.S. has to a Commonwealth. What that means is that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens but that they can't vote in U.S. federal elections if they reside on the island (Except for presidential primaries). They also don't pay any Federal income tax but they do pay plenty of PR income tax.

The U.S. won PR from Spain in 1898. One famous quotation said, "That the U.S. was interested in the cage and not the birds." Meaning that the U.S. wanted the ability to project power in the Caribbean.

There is very little U.S. military presence currently on the island. Both the bombing ranges on the island of Culebra and Vieques have been closed and recently the largest Naval base, Roosevelt Roads has also been shut down. The only two small bases left are Fort Buchanan (a small Army post) and an even smaller Puerto Rican National Guard Base.

The debates over statehood, independence, and current free associated state status will continue. Just remember that currently the 60% of people on the island receives some form of welfare. The amount of the checks are capped by Congress due to the Free Associated State status. Statehood would mean that the checks would increase in their amount, Independence would mean that they would cease, and continued status means that the checks still keep coming but that you still get to send your own candidate to Miss Universe and your own PR Olympic team...