oilrockz

This may or may not have actually happened.  

When I discuss politics with fellow Nigerians, the discussion always starts post-independence, as if things post-independence happened with no connection to the past and like Nigeria has been controlled without western influence after 1960.

     That moment you realize some people need to catch up on some history.

     In the midst of the 19th century, Spain’s economy was devastated from the abrupt loss of their colonies in Continental America (yeah, Continental America: South and Central America). Soon two nations, with strong fraternal ties, were under a colonial government that proved to be a great violation to fundamental human rights. Nevertheless, they wanted a change for which they fought together. From this event stems the famous phrase, by the Puerto Rican writer Lola Rodríguez de Tió, “…de un pájaro las dos alas…” (two wings of a bird), demonstrating the rooted brotherhood between Puerto Rico and Cuba.

     As a demonstration of their bravery, and with airs of rebellion, Jose Martí funded a separatist party, “el Partido Revolucionario Cubano” (the Cuban Revolutionary Party) in 1892. Puerto Rican exiles, the majority participants of “el Grito de Lares” (Cry of Lares), funded, in a similar fashion, the Puerto Rican section of that party. The flag that represented the Cuban section of this party is the actual Cuban flag. In 1985, Puerto Rico adopts their flag by inverting the colors of the Cuban flag. This was a demonstration of the strongest fraternity between two countries with a similar history that had developed their own nationality, not being Spanish anymore, but Cubans and Puerto Ricans.

     The Puerto Rican section of this party was chaired by José Julio Henna, who fought for various years for Puerto Rico’s independence. Unfortunately, when Puerto Rico was close to obtaining its liberty, through Spain’s Autonomic Charter, the United States received Puerto Rico as war loot in 1898 after the Spanish-American War.

     Puerto Rico already had its flag before the creation of Captain America as pro-war (WWII) propaganda. It was just recognized by the United States in 1952, along with its Constitution, when it was obligated by the UN (post WWII) to change Puerto Rico’s colonial status by renaming it as ELA (Commonwealth). The UN defines colonies as illegal and defends the cease of such practice however it can, with peace or violence, via the Special Committee on Decolonization.

     With this, we are not implying that Captain America’s costume was based on the Puerto Rican flag, “la monoestrellada” (one star), but rather we are imploring that the rich history of every other American country be respected.

She asked me to upload this for her and help others in their quest for knowledge. She also had a minor stroke when she saw the image.

Here’s an extra fun image, our flag has legit variations of our blue triangle: