Crítica A critical space of political analysis, history and culture. From Puerto Rico, with an eye toward the international.
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RaiNao, “La Borinqueña,” and Puerto Rico’s unresolved colonial memory
by Israel Melendez Ayala on April 8, 2026The Anthem They Still Fear
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Puerto Rico’s Economy for Others
by Israel Melendez Ayala on March 25, 2026From the Real Cédula de Gracias to Act 60, the archipelago has repeatedly subsidized outsiders while neglecting the local production needed for real economic self-determination.
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Selling the State
by Israel Melendez Ayala on March 11, 2026Privatization, Neoliberal Reform, and Populist Politics in Argentina and Puerto Rico in the 1990s
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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.
