Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Puerto Rico early afternoon Friday to embark on her first visit to the U.S. territory since being sworn in three years ago.
According to her office, the purpose of the trip is to highlight President Joe Biden’s “commitment to supporting Puerto Rico’s recovery” following hurricanes, earthquakes and the Covid-19 pandemic — with a special focus in promoting the administration’s investments on the island’s infrastructure and economic recovery initiatives.
Her 5-hour trip includes a visit to an area in the town of Canóvanas that received federal housing funds disbursed by the Biden administration to rebuild homes for about 6,000 families during the aftermath on 2017’s Hurricane Maria.
Harris, who is the first Black vice president, is also commemorating the 151st anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico when it was under Spanish rule, alongside community leaders and artists dedicated to celebrating the island’s cultural heritage and its African influence.
As a U.S. territory and not a state, people living in Puerto Rico can’t vote in presidential elections even though they are U.S. citizens by birth.
But political parties allow them to participate in the primaries that help elect presidential nominees.
The Democratic primary in Puerto Rico is scheduled for April 28 and the Republican primary for April 21.
Close to 6 million Puerto Ricans live in the U.S. mainland, many in competitive states like Florida and Pennsylvania. Biden-Harris supporters hope that touting the wins of the Biden administration in Puerto Rico can influence Latino voters of Puerto Rican heritage who live in the U.S. mainland and can register to vote in presidential elections.
Charlie Rodríguez, president of the Democratic Party in Puerto Rico, told NBC News he viewed the vice president’s visit as “a reiteration of the policies established by the President since he stepped into the White House, of staying focused on Puerto Rico a during his…
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