Crítica A critical space of political analysis, history and culture. From Puerto Rico, with an eye toward the international.
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A History of Movement Part II
by Israel Melendez Ayala on February 25, 2026Puerto Ricans in the United States After 1898
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A History of Movement
by Israel Melendez Ayala on February 11, 2026Puerto Ricans in the United States Before 1898
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In Puerto Rico, Justice Bends to Power
by Israel Melendez Ayala on February 4, 2026For TIME, I wrote about the the corruption in Puerto Rico and the effects of Trump's pardon on former governor Wanda Vazquez, guilty of corruption charges.
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Who Owns the Jíbaro?
by Israel Melendez Ayala on January 21, 2026A symbol once shaped by colonial elites, political branding, and cultural betrayal
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Puerto Rico’s Energy Transition From Renewable to Fossil Fuel
by Israel Melendez Ayala on January 7, 2026How Politics and Privatization Pushed the Archipelago Backward
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How the Christmas Tree Got to Puerto Rico
by Israel Melendez Ayala on December 17, 2025It’s not as clear-cut a story as you might assume.
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The Thanksgiving Myth
by Israel Melendez Ayala on November 26, 2025And how Puerto Ricans made it our own.
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Puerto Rico’s Old Military Wounds Are Being Reopened
by Israel Melendez Ayala on November 18, 2025For TIME, I wrote about the US remilitarization in Puerto Rico
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The Federal Government Has Canceled Flights to Mexico From San Juan
by Israel Melendez Ayala on November 5, 2025Its economic consequences could be reminiscent of the Prohibition era.
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A New Law Threatens Access to Information
by Israel Melendez Ayala on October 22, 2025It also enshrines governmental laziness.
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The U.S. Military Footprint in Puerto Rico
by Israel Melendez Ayala on October 8, 2025Bases built for empire, not the archipelago.
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U.S. Choices in Medicine Affect Puerto Rico
by Israel Melendez Ayala on September 24, 2025Our governor goes along with Trump.
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ICE in Puerto Rico
by Israel Melendez Ayala on September 17, 2025For TIME, I wrote about raids and detentions in Puerto Rico.
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How the Spanish Flu Affected Puerto Rico
by Israel Melendez Ayala on September 3, 2025With COVID-19 surging again, we can look back to the last century.
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A Short History of Pizza
by Israel Melendez Ayala on August 27, 2025It has a role in Puerto Rican modern diet.
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Puerto Rico Wasn’t Always Car Dependent
by Israel Melendez Ayala on August 20, 2025They represent an illusion of progress.
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Cooling Is a Design Issue
by Israel Melendez Ayala on August 13, 2025AC is not the only answer to extreme heat.
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Design for Cooling Down is not New
by Israel Melendez Ayala on July 23, 2025There are ways to bring temperatures down without AC
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Will Trump's Policies Make Education in Puerto Rico Worse?
by Israel Melendez Ayala on July 2, 2025The local Deparment of Education has been plagued by corruption for years.
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Puerto Rico Has a History of Music As Protest
by Israel Melendez Ayala on June 25, 2025In recent demonstrations against ICE, music was key.
