Federal Judge Juan R. Torruella calls for a complete boycott of U.S. chain stores in Puerto Rico

 

Judge Juan R. Torruella, a Puerto Rican, is the longest-standing federal judge in Puerto Rican history. From 1994 through 2001, he was the Chief Justice of the First Circuit Court of Appeals. He has served on the federal bench for 42 years.

For this reason it is highly significant, that Judge Torruella has called for an island-wide consumer boycott, against every US chain store in Puerto Rico.

Judge Torruella is also a leading interpreter of what is known as “the Insular Cases” (Balzac v. Porto Rico; De Lima v. Bidwell; Goetze v. US; Dooley v. US; Armstrong v. US; Downes v. Bidwell; Huus v. New York and Porto Rico Steamship Co.) and he wrote what many people consider as the definitive analysis of those cases:

https://www.law.upenn.edu/journals/jil/articles/volume29/issue2/Torruella29U.Pa.J.Int’lL.283(2007).pdf

Torruella is not a “radical” judge. He is not even a leftist…in fact, quite the opposite: he was first appointed to the federal bench by Pres. Gerald Ford, and appointed to the First Circuit by Pres. Ronald Reagan.

Also noteworthy is Judge Torruella’s foresight: he called for this general strike more than two years ago.

http://elvocero.com/sugerencia-firme-y-decidida/

According to Torruella, Puerto Ricans on the island buy $35 billion per year in US consumer goods. They buy more US goods per capita, than any other country on earth.

Also according to Torruella, a consumer strike in Puerto Rico would have a high moral standing: comparable to the Boston Tea Party, the march to the sea of Mahatma Gandhi, the refusal of Rosa Parks to sit in the back of a bus, and the bus boycott and civil rights movement that followed her.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ralph Abernathy, leading the march on Selma

Judge Torruella is correct.

Puerto Ricans need to march. Consumers need to boycott US chain stores, and support the small business people of Puerto Rico.

Celebrities need to get involved – just like Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Sammy Davis, Jr., Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Marlon Brando and Charlton Heston, during the civil rights marches of the 1950s and early 1960s.

This is the kind of activism and energy that Puerto Rico will need.

Nothing less will succeed.

 

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21 Comments on “Federal Judge Juan R. Torruella calls for a complete boycott of U.S. chain stores in Puerto Rico”

  2. Pingback: Federal Judge Juan R. Torruella: “Puerto Rico is in a political apartheid…we need to organize a civil resistance” | WAR AGAINST ALL PUERTO RICANS

  3. Pingback: War Against All Puerto Ricans receives 3 million views | WAR AGAINST ALL PUERTO RICANS

  4. Many (if mot most) US franchises are owned and operated by puertorricans, living in the island. The profits contribute to our economy. Many people love to throw statistics as to how PR gives more and receives less from the US.

    Statistics, although great, can be very, VERY, easily manipulated to express what we want. And most people do not bother to verify facts and take most information as is.

    Our island cannot provide ALL of the necessities that we need. We cannot grow everything, or fabricate everything. We need to import. And it is unrealistic to say we must boycott a store just because it is from the US.

    Although the US does have fault in our situation, most of it lies in us. We have to stop blaming others and look into ourselves. As someone who works at hospitals, I can tell you we have doctors as good as or better than those in the US. What we dont have is facilitieas as clean and as state of the art. We pay below, WAY BELOW, average wages to educated nurses and expect them to work with the same passion?! Service here sucks because of the culture we as a society has created. We can only blame ourselves.

    And yes, we receive (unjustly) less funding from medicare, but part of it is because our own insurance companies misused funds and spent more than required on marketing. And our government did nothing. We just complained (as we always do) and blamed the feds.

    The fault, dear brutus, lies not in our stars, but in ourselves…

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  5. Una nación, un pensamiento. En la unión está la fuerza.

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  6. Pingback: Federal Judge Juan Torruella: The Financial Control Board could lead to “civil disobedience and violence in Puerto Rico” | WAR AGAINST ALL PUERTO RICANS

  7. the judge is a great advocate for the people of Puerto Rico. The injustice here is that little of the history and contribution of the people of Puerto Rico is taught in the American public school system

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  8. The Problem is: The alternative :native” commercial business can’t be trusted to provide similar quality and quantity of consumer goods, at similar price levels.

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  9. The US Puerto Rico (PR) economic, fiscal, social, and Territorial Status debacle is not just about patching up problems or putting another Band-Aid on a present fiscal/debt crisis! But, it’s about the Federal Government taking impartial action; providing the proper unbiased fair tools to FIX the FISCAL, and concurrently, the STRUCTURAL Territorial (Colonial) Status quagmire; stop discrimination against fellow US Citizens-which can’t vote for their US President/Head of State; don’t have- just representation in the US Congress; full rights, benefits, a permanent US Citizenship, if born in Puerto Rico…etc.!

    The fix must fairly include PARITY: in Law, rights (to Vote for their US President; just representation), benefits, programs, etc., as other US Citizens/ States of the Union enjoy! The Federal Government is not there to suppress it’s US Citizens—to include Puerto Ricans, but, to serve them!

    Also, it’s about the US PR Territorial Government taking internal management/fiscal measures to streamline Government; put its house in order; provide incentives (not increase taxes) to the boost the economy/ jobs; as it transforms politics to recognize the truth about the discriminatory Territorial (colonial) Status; open dialog with all, and speak with one voice to demand EQUALITY; for Congress promptly end the federally undemocratic Territorial Status—through a democratic sanction Plebiscite (with non-territorial Constitutional Options)!

    Puerto Rican Contributions:
    Puerto Ricans/ Hispanics are part of the kaleidoscopic or intertwined strong threads that make up the resilient (red, white, and blue) Fabric of the USA—the sovereign land of Free Immigrants–united under our US “We the People” Constitution/ Flag–with own identities and tolerance for others!

    Since, PR became a US Territory in 1898– it has bravely sacrificed, shed sweat, blood and tears–under the American Flag– till today! US Puerto Ricans (with an educated work force) have worked hard, sacrificed and made great valuable contributions, as they work with all US Citizens–for the good of our beloved USA! Puerto Rico serves as a captive Bond, Export, and Consumer Markets (that includes creating hundreds of thousand US Jobs and billons of dollars in wealth for the States).

    Besides, Puerto Rican Ancestors (roots) settled; help develop and defend America—107 years before the Pilgrims! Plus, Puerto Ricans fought in the US War of Independence, and other Wars, under the US Flag; help protect our USA! Thus, the US belongs to Puerto Ricans too; demand to be treated fairly/equally like others are!

    US Citizens in Puerto Rico “suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” because of the suzerain Federal Government’s 117 year subjugation and indifference to take action that redress a wrong; ensure Equality! (This is not only about a Group Vote on the Status question or Federal undemocratic control of a Territory/land, but, more essential to our Constitution and our representative democracy and way of life—it’s about EQUAL US Citizenship; fairness; justice; the good of all!)

    Let’s advocate for a just non-partisan cause; not give un-reasonable biased excuses; play distorted politics, generalize, or speculate to keep fellow US Citizens subjugated! Act now to do right; stop discrimination; sour above petty distorted politics to ensure Justice is truly served! All must unite; work together for the good of all; take non-partisan prompt action to make right!

    Liked by 1 person

  10. it looks like everyone knows what to do but only few are willing to do it…the judge is not the first one to express such effective strategy..p.i.p. leaders have advocated for decades but puerto ricans are to radically divided to be effective in such endeavors..however, it keeps the fire burning. someday we shall get it done..hope it won’t be to late..LET’S DO THIS!!!!

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  11. Honorable Turruella is 100% correct. Vote with you wallet!!! Chains destroy local businesses and export profits. While locally owned businesses are the corner stone to a healthy local economy. So… Despierta Boriqua!

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  12. Nunca pensé que iba a estar de acuerdo con su señoría ni en sueños!!!

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  13. Great by Judge Torruella. And with thouse exarated amount of expensas by Puerto Ricans Rightist opinión here is that we contribute nothing to the econnomy of US.
    Who really thinks that Wallmart is living.

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  14. Great Idea! Stop buying from the chain stores! Then we can buy locally everything that is still made overseas, like TVs from Japan and Korea, electronics from China, Beef from the USA, cars from Europe. Yes! Buy locally!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Hey…Nelson …You forgot (Or did you purposely omit it) that the very honorable judge is an ardent advocate for Puerto Rico Statehood. Just like me!

    ______________________________________________________________________________________

    Peter…Happy New Year!

    I did not know that he was a Statehood proponent. Had I known, I would still not have included it, because it is not relevant to the editorial that was written.

    It’s good to hear from you, Peter. It was great to see you at Somos Uno in San Juan.

    All the best for 2016.

    –Nelson

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  17. Let’s go for it! After all these years, the only feeling in the air is Bush’s expression after the Vieques Island March, “Those people don’t like us”. We are now getting their payback!

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  18. Long, long overdue! Is increasingly difficult to find anything that is from “Del País”, “Hecho en Puerto Rico” or “locally Owned” even when shopping in small tienditas along the back roads, often times the products are mass package, low quality imported, even the seedlings for cultivation.

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  19. Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
    “Puerto Ricans need to march. Consumers need to boycott US chain stores, and support the small business people of Puerto Rico.” …. will it ever happen??

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  20. This is one of the best strategies that I have heard as of late. The impact needs to be financially effective upon the same corporate vampirism that means to suck the life out of Puerto Rico. Waiting on corporate America to be swayed by morality is a fools agenda, this on the other hand is the only and exact form of persuasion that they’ll listen to, when their capitol is as effected as the Puerto Rican publics’.
    Ya ha llegado el tiempo para unirse todo los Puerto Riqueños que ven claramente el abuso de control en que nos estan manteniendo Este imperio.

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  21. Great book, a definitely must read for any Puerto Rican on the Island or the States.

    ___________________________________________________________________________________

    Thank you, Nelson. I really appreciate it.

    –Nelson Denis

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