Early this year, the US military’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro made international headlines. Months prior, the United States prepared for this action by beefing up its military presence in one of the country’s most strategically located territories in the Caribbean: Puerto Rico, which is less than 500 nautical miles from the coast of Venezuela. Puerto Rico has become—once again—a military stronghold for the US, this time as part of President Trump’s effort to gain control over economically and politically valuable portions of the Western Hemisphere. This summer, the US again increased its presence there amid tensions with Cuba.
Puerto Rico is the world’s oldest colony: It has been under continuous foreign rule for more than half a millennium. Christopher Columbus first landed on Borikén—the name given to the island by its Taíno inhabitants—on November 19, 1493. Puerto Rico soon became a colony of Spain and remained so for 400 years. In 1898, it instituted a more autonomous form of government, in cooperation with Spain. But later that year it was surrendered to the US, along with Guam and the Philippines, effectively ending the Spanish-American War.
Recently, the sights and sounds of military aircraft have become more frequent in Puerto Rico’s blue skies. In the second half of 2025, both Ramey Air Force Base in Aguadilla and Roosevelt Roads naval base in Ceiba were reactivated after being closed for decades. The US military now actively occupies five different locations across an island of just 3,500 square miles. Puerto Rican political leaders have emphasized that the reopening of the bases means increased economic opportunity and stable employment for residents. Indeed, many Puerto Ricans recall a time when these bases brought stable employment, commerce, industry, and educational opportunities to their communities.
