Our Cornerstones - Ana Irma Rivera Lassén

Public policy that I will promote as resident commissioner.

The cornerstones of Our Cause

Status and the decolonization process Constitutional Assembly of Status: statehood, independence and free association

I am going to Washington, DC to advocate for the decolonization of Puerto Rico and not to advance a particular alternative. That is what those who have preceded me as commissioner have done for the past 20 years, without success. My task will be to make people understand the urgency of ending the colony, of getting rid of the Fiscal Oversight Board, of having a democratic government and of negotiating with the United States decent alternatives for decolonization, with transition plans that recognize the historical debt that the United States owes the people of Puerto Rico for 126 years of colonialism. Therefore, we propose a process that guarantees the equitable participation of decolonization options, including statehood, independence and free association.

INTEGRATED, DYNAMIC AND SYNERGISTIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT In harmony with nature and the environment, based on the principles of sustainable and sustainable development.

I am going to Washington, DC to promote public policy for economic and social development that prioritizes the welfare of the people and that is in permanent dialogue with communities, social organizations, as well as with the research, development and innovation sectors to inject dynamism into the economy. In the case of public debt, I will advocate for the preservation of essential services and social guarantees, putting them before any payment, in the debt renegotiation processes. I will continue to insist on the cancellation of the illegal, illegitimate and unsustainable debt and reinforce the efforts of forensic audit of the same and the establishment of responsibilities, where appropriate, to those who indebted us. I reiterate my rejection of the Fiscal Control Board and its austerity policies, which threaten our social needs and economic recovery.

Economic, social, cultural and environmental rights (ESCR)

I am going to Washington, DC to demand all aspects of rights: political, social, economic, environmental and individual rights. This includes the issue of status, as a violation of the political rights of Puerto Ricans, and therefore the need for decolonization. I believe that most rights should be recognized regardless of whether Puerto Rico is a state, independent or in a free association, as long as it prevails in a consultation with the people. In addition, I will advocate for the exit of the Fiscal Control Board as a violation of basic democratic rights and principles. The preservation of essential services and social guarantees, putting them before any payment, in the debt renegotiation process.

Transparency, development of protocols and criteria for real oversight in the use of federal funds to eliminate government corruption in all areas, particularly in health, education, housing and infrastructure.

I am going to Washington, DC to demand and guarantee extremely rigorous criteria for:

Optimize use of funds;
Ensure that no one turns these funds into a raffle of prizes and corruption;
That the works to be carried out respond to the priorities and real needs of the people, to the common good and not to vanity projects or particular interests;
That project tenders be open, transparent and public;
That eligible local companies and workers are favored to the maximum extent possible so that the economy can begin to be stimulated immediately; and
That there be meticulous supervision of all the work to be done. Demand from the U.S. Congress, as co-responsible for the current crisis, the prompt disbursement and effective use of federal funds allocated for reconstruction.

Alliances with congressmen and diaspora organizations advocating for social justice, environmental justice and decolonization

I am going to Washington, DC to be the voice that represents Puerto Rico in Congress by joining the voices in Congress that promote justice and human rights. Likewise, the Puerto Rican population in the Diaspora must be part of these political processes and the development of the country and be incorporated into the discussion and development of proposals on decolonization and other issues of Puerto Rico. As Resident Commissioner, I will take to the United States a country agenda that benefits our children, particularly the most impoverished, the youth, the elderly, people in all their diversity, families, our working class, and the interest groups that are committed to achieving sustainable and fair economic development for Puerto Rico and the power to feel in common, work in common and contribute, from the common good, to the creation of a more equitable Puerto Rico.