Government of Puerto Rico celebrated July 4
The Secretary of State of Puerto Rico, Luis Rivera Marín, led on Wednesday the celebration of the 242 Independence of the United States of America, in which he delivered a proclamation to the group of Puerto Rican veterans of the 65th Infantry Regiment, known as the "Borinqueneers", reported El Nuevo Herald digital site.
"July 4 is an important date in the life of our American nation. And it is an important date for the nearly 10 million Puerto Ricans who live inside and outside our island," Rivera Marín said at the meeting.
"The date we celebrate today represents that moment in history when more than 200 years ago a group of people representing their constituents united in a common purpose and managed to create the most important democratic experiment in the history of humanity," he added.
Rivera Marín took advantage of the occasion and recognized Puerto Rico for having given the North American country "its best talents, in the lives of hundreds of thousands of men and women who have defended freedom, justice and democracy in all corners of the planet, just like the Borinqueneers".
The "Borinqueneers", created in 1899, which was part of a segregated unit of the US Armed Forces, fought in conflicts such as the First and Second World War and the Korean War.
In 2016, the "Borinqueneers" received the second Gold Medal of the Congress that is granted to Hispanics since the one awarded posthumously in 1973 to the baseball player Roberto Clemente, also a Puerto Rican.
Despite the abolition of the law of racial segregation in 1948, the "Borinqueneers" continued to fight on the battle fronts in the midst of discrimination and separated from other regiments. The group received 2,771 Purple Hearts, 606 Bronze Stars, 256 Silver Stars and 10 Crosses of Distinguished Service, among other distinctions.
In the Korean War more than 60,000 Puerto Rican volunteer reservists fought under the American flag and 6,000 of them did so in the 65th Infantry Regiment, the first of the Third Infantry Division to face the Korean enemy and the last to return to your country, after about three years.
"You, our Borinqueneers, are the greatest representation we have of those men and women who shed their blood, and who have raised the banner of dignity, justice and democracy in every corner of this earth," stated Rivera Marín.
Likewise, the second in command in Puerto Rico, honored the group of veterans for "their courage and sacrifice before what has been through the years, the defense of our democratic precepts and freedom."
Also, the interim governor said that the United States "is incomplete" until Puerto Rico is annexed to the country and as its state number 51 and achieve "equal rights with fellow citizens in all 50 states."
