Puerto Rico Open Your Eyes

Puerto Rico Open Your Eyes

Puerto Rico Abran los Ojos (Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes) is a bold and thought-provoking podcast dedicated to uncovering the true history of Borikén—the island we now know as Puerto Rico. Through weekly episodes, we seek to awaken consciousness across the Latino community, sparking real conversations that bridge generations and borders. Our show dives deep into the stories often left untold, exploring how Puerto Rico became an unexpected bridge between two continents and examining the historical, cultural, and political forces that have shaped our identity. We confront the good, the bad, and the ugly—highlighting the beauty of Boricua resilience while also facing the realities of economic bondage and colonial legacy. At the heart of Puerto Rico Abran los Ojos is a commitment to dialogue. We will meet with voices from across the diaspora—activists, historians, artists, elders, and youth—to discuss Puerto Rico’s path toward true self-governance and freedom. This is not just about history; it’s about envisioning a future where Puerto Ricans, both on the island and in the U.S., are empowered, unified, and heard. With nearly 9 million Puerto Ricans worldwide, our community is a force. This podcast will also explore Puerto Rico’s deep connections with other nations in the Caribbean and Latin America, including Cuba and the Dominican Republic, celebrating our shared struggles, victories, and cultural ties. Puerto Rico Abran los Ojos is more than a podcast—it’s a movement. Join the conversation. Be part of the change.

  1. 2d ago

    Luis Muñoz Rivera's 1901 letter to President William McKinley.

    What happened to Puerto Rico's political institutions after the United States invaded the island in 1898? In this special episode of Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes, co-host José Montañez turns the tables and interviews Edwin Ortiz about an extraordinary primary source from this critical period in Puerto Rican history: Luis Muñoz Rivera's 1901 letter to President William McKinley. Muñoz Rivera had participated at the highest level of Puerto Rico's autonomous government before the change of sovereignty. In his letter, published in The Puerto Rico Herald on July 13, 1901, he delivered a powerful criticism of the political system established under the Foraker Act and compared it directly with the autonomous institutions Puerto Rico had exercised under Spain. What did Puerto Rico actually possess politically before 1898? What changed afterward? Why did Muñoz Rivera believe Puerto Rico had lost important elements of self-government? And how did Puerto Rican leaders respond to American rule through political, journalistic, constitutional, and diplomatic means? José and Edwin examine some of the most significant passages from the letter, discuss the historical context surrounding them, and—most importantly—encourage listeners to examine the original documents and reach their own conclusions. Read the documents. Ask questions. Compare the evidence. And keep your eyes open. HISTORICAL SOURCES The Puerto Rico Herald — Library of Congress The Library of Congress catalog confirms that The Puerto Rico Herald began with its first issue on July 13, 1901, was edited by Luis Muñoz Rivera, and was published in both English and Spanish. The Puerto Rico Herald — Library of Congress Obras Completas de Luis Muñoz Rivera — Volume II (1925) Campañas Políticas, 1901–1916, compiled by Luis Muñoz Marín and published by Editorial Puerto Rico in Madrid. This digitized volume preserves Muñoz Rivera's writings from the period discussed in this episode. Read Volume II — Library of Congress digital copy FOLLOW & SUPPORT OUR WORK Visit the links below to follow Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes, learn more about our historical and educational work, and stay informed about future episodes. Substack: Follow our publication for articles, research, updates, and new content. YouTube: Subscribe, like our videos, and turn on notifications so you don't miss future episodes. Podcast: Follow Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes on your preferred podcast platform. The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative: Learn more about our educational and civic work concerning Puerto Rico's political future. Proyecto Puerto Rico en España: Learn more about our community, educational, cultural, and relocation initiative connecting Puerto Rico and Spain. Crowdfunder: Help support our research, educational programs, podcast production, and outreach. Even a $5 contribution helps us continue producing and sharing this work. And please LIKE and SHARE this episode. Sharing this information with friends, relatives, students, educators and even people who may disagree with you—is one of the most important ways you can support our work. History belongs to everyone.

    Luis Muñoz Rivera's 1901 letter to President William McKinley.
  2. Jul 24

    Es cierto que los puertorriqueños van a perder la ciudadanía estadounidense?

    En los últimos días han circulado numerosos videos y publicaciones que afirman que el Congreso está a punto de eliminar la ciudadanía de los puertorriqueños. Pero, ¿qué dice realmente el proyecto H.R. 9724 presentado por el congresista Morgan Griffith? En este episodio analizamos los hechos, explicamos paso a paso cómo funciona el proceso legislativo en el Congreso de los Estados Unidos, aclaramos por qué este proyecto todavía no es ley, y examinamos la diferencia entre nacer en uno de los cincuenta estados y nacer en un territorio como Puerto Rico. Nuestro objetivo no es crear miedo, sino ofrecer información basada en hechos para que cada persona pueda llegar a sus propias conclusiones. Si este episodio te resultó útil, compártelo con tus familiares y amistades. Entre todos podemos combatir la desinformación con educación y análisis. Si deseas apoyar nuestro trabajo educativo e independiente, considera suscribirte a nuestro Substack. Incluso una pequeña aportación mensual nos ayuda a continuar investigando, produciendo documentales, entrevistas y contenido histórico sobre Puerto Rico. Síguenos y conoce más sobre nuestro trabajo: 🌐 Sitio Web: https://puertoricoabranlosojos.com/ 🇵🇷 The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative (TNPRSI): https://tnprsi.org/ 🇪🇸 Proyecto Puerto Rico en España: https://proyectopuertoricoenespana.com/ 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PuertoRicoOpenYourEyes 📰 Substack: https://substack.com/@puertoricoopenyoureyes 🎙️ Escúchanos en Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music y todas las plataformas de podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/puerto-rico-open-your-eyes/ Puerto Rico: Abre los Ojos Con Edwin Ortiz #PuertoRico #Ciudadanía #HR9724 #MorganGriffith #Congreso #Historia #Constitución #PuertoRicoAbreLosOjos #EdwinOrtiz #TNPRSI #Educación #Política #Actualidad #PuertoRicoEspaña

    Es cierto que los puertorriqueños van a perder la ciudadanía estadounidense?
  3. Jul 20

    No Todos Llegarán a la Meta

    🎙️ No Todos Llegarán a la Meta ¿Por qué tantas personas comienzan una misión con entusiasmo, pero muy pocas permanecen hasta el final? En este episodio de Puerto Rico: Abre los Ojos, Edwin Ortiz comparte una reflexión sobre la perseverancia, el liderazgo, el compromiso y la naturaleza humana. Esta no es una conversación sobre personalidades ni sobre política. Es una reflexión sobre lo que ocurre en toda causa importante cuando aparecen los obstáculos, cambian las prioridades y el compromiso es puesto a prueba. Utilizando nuestro esfuerzo por promover que Puerto Rico vuelva a convertirse en una comunidad autónoma bajo la Constitución democrática de España como un ejemplo, exploramos una verdad universal que aplica a cualquier proyecto, organización o sueño. Porque las causas que realmente valen la pena no se sostienen únicamente con entusiasmo. Se sostienen con carácter. Con compromiso. Con perseverancia. Y con personas que continúan avanzando cuando otros deciden detenerse. No todos llegarán a la meta... pero la meta sigue valiendo la pena. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Sea cual sea su posición—ya sea que usted favorezca la estadidad, la independencia, la relación territorial actual, la reunificación con España como comunidad autónoma bajo la Constitución democrática española u otra alternativa constitucional—lo invitamos a compartir su opinión con respeto. 🌐 Sitio web oficial https://puertoricoabranlosojos.com/ 🎙️ Podcast RSS https://rss.com/podcasts/puerto-rico-open-your-eyes/ 📡 Canal RSS Oficial https://media.rss.com/puerto-rico-open-your-eyes/feed.xml 🎧 Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts 📰 Substack (Gratis) https://substack.com/@puertoricoopenyoureyes En Substack encontrará investigaciones históricas, documentos originales, artículos y las versiones completas de nuestros podcasts. Si desea apoyar nuestro trabajo, puede hacer una donación o convertirse en Miembro Colaborador por solo $5 al mes. 🤝 Crowdfunder https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ 🇵🇷 Nuestros proyectos • Puerto Rico: Abre los Ojos https://puertoricoabranlosojos.com/ • The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative https://tnprsi.org/ • Proyecto Puerto Rico en España https://proyectopuertoricoenespana.com/ ▶️ Canal de YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@PuertoRicoOpenYourEyes Muchas gracias por escuchar este episodio. Compártalo con sus familiares y amigos para que más personas participen en una conversación informada sobre el futuro de Puerto Rico. Yo soy Edwin Ortiz... y esto es Puerto Rico: Abre los Ojos.

    No Todos Llegarán a la Meta
  4. Jul 20

    Not Everyone Will Make It to the Finish Line | A Reflection on Purpose, Perseverance & Leadership

    Not every worthwhile journey ends with the same people who started it. Whether you're building a business, raising a family, leading an organization, serving your community, or fighting for a cause you believe in, one truth seems to repeat itself throughout history: Many begin the journey. Few reach the finish line. In this episode of Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes, Edwin Ortiz shares a personal reflection on perseverance, commitment, leadership, and the realities of human nature. This is not a discussion about personalities or politics. It is a conversation about what happens to every meaningful mission when enthusiasm begins to fade, obstacles appear, priorities change, and commitment is tested. Using our effort to advocate for Puerto Rico to once again become an autonomous community under Spain's democratic Constitution as one example, we explore a much larger truth—one that applies to every worthwhile endeavor. If you've ever led a team... Started a business... Written a book... Raised a family... Served your community... Or dedicated yourself to a purpose greater than yourself... This message is for you. Sometimes the greatest obstacles aren't the critics standing in front of us. Sometimes they're the distractions, fears, impatience, and competing priorities that quietly emerge along the journey. Yet if the mission is truly worthwhile, it must always be greater than any one individual. Because in the end, legacies are not built by those who simply begin the journey. They are built by those who choose to finish it. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🌐 Visit Our Website https://PuertoRicoAbranLosOjos.com There you can learn more about our educational initiative and sign our petitions supporting the inclusion of every democratic status option for Puerto Rico, including reunification with Spain as an autonomous community. 📝 Sign Our Petitions Visit the petitions section on our website. 📰 Subscribe to Our Substack https://puertoricoopenyoureyes.substack.com 💰 Support Our Mission Crowdfunder: [Insert Crowdfunder Link] ▶️ Subscribe on YouTube [Insert YouTube Channel Link] 🎧 Listen on Spotify [Insert Spotify Podcast Link] 🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts [Insert Apple Podcasts Link] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ If this reflection spoke to you, please like this video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone who may need the encouragement to keep moving forward. Thank you for being part of the conversation. I am Edwin Ortiz, and this is Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes. #PuertoRicoOpenYourEyes #Leadership #Perseverance #Purpose #Commitment #PersonalGrowth #Resilience #HumanNature #Motivation #PuertoRico #Spain #Community #NeverGiveUp #LeadershipLessons #FinishTheJourney

    Not Everyone Will Make It to the Finish Line | A Reflection on Purpose, Perseverance & Leadership
  5. Jul 19

    The Forgotten Puerto Rican Who Played Soccer for Real Madrid Nearly 100 Years Ago

    ⚽🇵🇷 The Forgotten Puerto Rican Who Played Soccer for Real Madrid Nearly 100 Years Ago Did you know that nearly a century ago, a Puerto Rican was competing at the highest level of professional soccer in Spain? In this episode of Puerto Rico, Open Your Eyes, we explore the remarkable story of Eduardo Ordóñez Munguira, a Puerto Rican born in San Juan who went on to play professional soccer for both Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. During the 1932–1933 season, he helped Real Madrid win the La Liga championship, becoming one of the earliest Puerto Rican soccer pioneers to compete on one of Europe’s biggest stages. Although his achievements were extraordinary, his story has largely faded from public memory. After retiring from professional soccer, Eduardo Ordóñez continued serving his community as a lawyer and later coached Puerto Rico’s national soccer team, leaving an important legacy both on and off the field. His life reminds us that the historical relationship between Puerto Rico and Spain extends far beyond politics and history books. It is also reflected in sports, culture, education, and the accomplishments of Puerto Ricans who built bridges between both sides of the Atlantic. This is another forgotten chapter of Puerto Rican history that deserves to be remembered. If you enjoyed this video, please Like, Subscribe, and Share it with your family and friends. Every share helps us educate more people about Puerto Rico’s rich history and preserve the stories of those whose contributions have too often been forgotten.

    The Forgotten Puerto Rican Who Played Soccer for Real Madrid Nearly 100 Years Ago
  6. Jul 19

    Representa realmente la Estatua de la Libertad a Puerto Rico?

    🎙️ Puerto Rico: Abre los Ojos ¿Representa realmente la Estatua de la Libertad a Puerto Rico? En este episodio de Puerto Rico: Abre los Ojos, analizamos uno de los símbolos más reconocidos del mundo y planteamos una pregunta que invita a la reflexión: ¿Refleja realmente la Estatua de la Libertad la realidad constitucional de Puerto Rico? Exploramos el estatus territorial de Puerto Rico, la autoridad constitucional del Congreso, la Ley PROMESA, la representación política, la ciudadanía estadounidense y el reciente debate nacional sobre la ciudadanía por nacimiento. Nuestro propósito no es decirle a nadie qué debe pensar ni qué alternativa de estatus debe apoyar. Buscamos presentar hechos, fomentar el pensamiento crítico y promover un diálogo respetuoso para que cada persona llegue a sus propias conclusiones. Ya sea que usted favorezca la estadidad, la independencia, la relación territorial actual, la reunificación con España como comunidad autónoma bajo la Constitución democrática española u otra alternativa constitucional, lo invitamos a compartir su opinión con respeto. 🌐 Sitio web oficial https://puertoricoabranlosojos.com/ 🎙️ Podcast RSS https://rss.com/podcasts/puerto-rico-open-your-eyes/ 📡 Canal RSS Oficial https://media.rss.com/puerto-rico-open-your-eyes/feed.xml 🎧 Amazon Music https://music.amazon.com/podcasts 📰 Substack (Gratis) https://substack.com/@puertoricoopenyoureyes En Substack encontrará investigaciones históricas, artículos, documentos originales y las versiones completas de nuestros podcasts. Si desea apoyar nuestro trabajo, puede realizar una donación o convertirse en Miembro Colaborador por solo $5 al mes. 🤝 Crowdfunder https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ 🇵🇷 Nuestros proyectos Puerto Rico: Abre los Ojos https://puertoricoabranlosojos.com/ The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative https://tnprsi.org/ Proyecto Puerto Rico en España https://proyectopuertoricoenespana.com/ ▶️ Canal de YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@PuertoRicoOpenYourEyes Muchas gracias por escuchar este episodio. Compártalo con sus familiares y amigos para que más personas conozcan la historia de Puerto Rico y participen en una conversación informada sobre su futuro. Yo soy Edwin Ortiz... y esto es Puerto Rico: Abre los Ojos.

    Representa realmente la Estatua de la Libertad a Puerto Rico?
  7. Jul 19

    Does the Statue of Liberty Truly Represent Puerto Rico?

    🎙️ Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes Does the Statue of Liberty truly represent Puerto Rico? In this episode of Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes, we examine one of America's most recognizable symbols and ask a thought-provoking question: Does Puerto Rico's constitutional reality reflect the ideals that Lady Liberty has come to symbolize? We explore Puerto Rico's territorial status, congressional authority, PROMESA, citizenship, political representation, and the ongoing national discussion surrounding birthright citizenship. Rather than telling you what to think, this episode invites you to examine the facts, think critically, and draw your own conclusions. Whether you support statehood, independence, the current territorial relationship, reunification with Spain as an autonomous community under Spain's democratic Constitution, or another constitutional alternative, we welcome respectful dialogue and thoughtful discussion. 🌐 Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes https://puertoricoabranlosojos.com/ ▶️ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@PuertoRicoOpenYourEyes 📰 Substack (Free) https://substack.com/@puertoricoopenyoureyes 🇵🇷 The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative https://tnprsi.org/ 🇪🇸 Proyecto Puerto Rico en España https://proyectopuertoricoenespana.com/ If you would like to support our educational work, you can also do so through our paid Substack subscription or by using the support and donation options available through the links above. Thank you for listening, sharing, and helping us continue this important conversation. #PuertoRico #StatueOfLiberty #LadyLiberty #PuertoRicoOpenYourEyes #TerritorialStatus #PROMESA #Citizenship #Constitution #History #CriticalThinking

    Does the Statue of Liberty Truly Represent Puerto Rico?

About

Puerto Rico Abran los Ojos (Puerto Rico: Open Your Eyes) is a bold and thought-provoking podcast dedicated to uncovering the true history of Borikén—the island we now know as Puerto Rico. Through weekly episodes, we seek to awaken consciousness across the Latino community, sparking real conversations that bridge generations and borders. Our show dives deep into the stories often left untold, exploring how Puerto Rico became an unexpected bridge between two continents and examining the historical, cultural, and political forces that have shaped our identity. We confront the good, the bad, and the ugly—highlighting the beauty of Boricua resilience while also facing the realities of economic bondage and colonial legacy. At the heart of Puerto Rico Abran los Ojos is a commitment to dialogue. We will meet with voices from across the diaspora—activists, historians, artists, elders, and youth—to discuss Puerto Rico’s path toward true self-governance and freedom. This is not just about history; it’s about envisioning a future where Puerto Ricans, both on the island and in the U.S., are empowered, unified, and heard. With nearly 9 million Puerto Ricans worldwide, our community is a force. This podcast will also explore Puerto Rico’s deep connections with other nations in the Caribbean and Latin America, including Cuba and the Dominican Republic, celebrating our shared struggles, victories, and cultural ties. Puerto Rico Abran los Ojos is more than a podcast—it’s a movement. Join the conversation. Be part of the change.

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