Puerto Rico was settled by a succession of peoples beginning 2,000 to 4,000 years ago; these included the Ortoiroid, Saladoid, and Taíno. It was then colonized by Spain following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493. Puerto Rico was contested by other European powers, but remained a Spanish possession for the next four centuries. An influx of African slaves and settlers primarily from the Canary Islands and Andalusia vastly changed the cultural and demographic landscape of the island. Within the Spanish Empire, Puerto Rico played a secondary but strategic role compared to wealthier colonies like Peru and New Spain. By the late 19th century, a distinct Puerto Rican identity began to emerge, centered around a fusion of indigenous, African, and European elements. In 1898, following the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico was acquired by the United States.
Gilbert Cosme Ramírez (born May 25, 1976) is a Puerto Ricanprofessional wrestler, better known by his ring namesEl Mesías, Mil Muertes, Ricky Banderas and King Muertes. He began his career in the International Wrestling Association based in Puerto Rico. While performing in the company, he won the IWA World Heavyweight Championship on five instances and held minor championships on fifteen separate occasions, before leaving the company in 2006. On March 12, 2006, he debuted in Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA), a promotion based in Mexico, as a character named Muerte Cibernetica and was involved in an angle where this character was "killed". In November 2006, Cosme was involved in the tapings of the Wrestling Society X television series, where he was the second and last wrestler to win the WSX Championship.
Following a month of performing in the International Wrestling Association, Cosme returned to AAA in a special event presented by the company, this time under the ring name of El Mesías. In September 2007, the company organized a unification tournament where all of the champions and first contenders participated. Over the course of the tournament, he won the GPCW Super-X Monster Championship and IWC World Heavyweight Championship, and on the tournament's finale, he became the first wrestler to win the AAA Mega Championship. While working in Mexico, Cosme signed a contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) where he debuted as Judas Mesias on September 13, 2007. In March 2008 his association with TNA came to an end and he focused most of his time on AAA. In 2010 Cosme debuted for Puerto Rican World Wrestling Council, where he won the Universal Heavyweight Championship. He also wrestled in Lucha Underground under the ring name Mil Muertes. (Full article...)
Molina played a handful of games for the Anaheim Angels in 1998 and 1999. He became the Angels' regular catcher in 2000 and remained so through the 2005 season. In 2001, José became his teammate. Molina received his World Series ring in 2002 after the Angels defeated the Giants in the 2002 World Series. He won a Gold Glove in 2002 and 2003, leading American League (AL) catchers in percentage of attempted base stealers thrown out. (Full article...)
The species name, angelae, is a tribute to Angela Kepler, one of its discoverers. These birds are insectivores, as they feed by gleaning small insects off the habitat leaves. (Full article...)
In 1887, Muñoz Rivera became part of the leadership of a newly formed Autonomist Party. In 1889, he successfully ran a campaign for the position of delegate in the district of Caguas. Subsequently, Muñoz Rivera was a member of a group organized by the party to discuss proposals of autonomy with Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, who would grant Puerto Rico an autonomous government following his election. He served as Chief of the Cabinet of this government. (Full article...)
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Captain Humbert Roque Versace, Medal of Honor recipient
"Contra la Corriente" (transl. "Against the Current") is a song by American singer Marc Anthony from his third studio album of the same name (1997). It was released in 1998 by RMM and served as the album's fifth single. The song was written by Omar Alfanno, with co-production handled by Ángel "Cucco" Peña and Anthony. "Contra la Corriente" is a salsa song, that lyrically recalls a "good love from the past."
"Júrame" (transl. "Swear to Me") is a song by American singer Gisselle from her seventh studio album, Voy a Enamorarte (2000). The song was written and produced by Colombian musician Kike Santander. It was recorded twice, as a popballad and a merengue track, respectively. In the lyrics, it deals with love's ambition. Both versions were released as a single from the album by BMG US Latin in 2000. A music video for the ballad version was filmed in Florida.
Puerto Rican recording artist Ricky Martin has released ten studio albums, seven compilation albums, two live albums, one soundtrack album and four box sets. Martin has sold over 70 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists of all time. His self-titled debut studio album was released in November 1991 by Sony Discos. Two years later, Columbia Records released Martin's second studio album, Me Amaras. Despite both albums failing to achieve a significant commercial success, they pushed Martin towards superstar status in many Latin American countries. His third studio album, A Medio Vivir, was released in September 1995 by Sony Latin. The album features a "harder rock edge style" than his previous efforts, while being mixed with Latin references such as flamenco and cumbia. A Medio Vivir charted in several countries and peaked at number seven in Spain and number 11 on the US Latin Albums chart.
In 1998, Martin released his fourth studio album, Vuelve, which became his first record to chart on the US Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number 40; it became the highest-selling Latin album of 1999 and is the tenth bestselling Latin album of all-time in the country . Additionally, it peaked at number one on the US Latin Albums chart and in Spain, where it was certified six-times platinum by Promusicae. He released his fifth studio and second eponymous album in 1999; it was a commercial success reaching number one in Australia, Finland, Spain and in the United States, and number two in the United Kingdom. It was certified seven-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of over seven million copies in the United States. As of April 2011, Ricky Martin has sold over 15 million copies worldwide, making it his best selling-album. (Full article...)
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The currencies of Puerto Rico closely follow the historic development of Puerto Rico. As a Province of Spain (Autonomous Community) and a territory of the United States, Puerto Rico was granted the use of both foreign and provincial currencies. Following the Spanish colonization in 1508, Puerto Rico became an important port, with its own supply of gold. However, as the mineral reserves ran empty within the century, the archipelago's economy suffered. The Spanish Crown issued the Situado Mexicano, which meant that a semi-regular shipment of gold from the Viceroyalty of New Spain would be sent to the island, as a way to provide economic support. Between 1636 and 1637, Philip IV of Spain imposed a tax which had to be paid using a revenue stamp. Inspired by this, Puerto Rico began producing banknotes in 1766, becoming the first Overseas Province to print 8-real banknotes in the Spanish Empire and which in the Spanish government's approval of subsequent issues.
The situado was discontinued during the 19th century, creating an economic crisis, as a result of Mexico gaining its independence from Spain. Salvador Meléndez Bruna, the colonial governor in office, ordered the issue of provincial banknotes, creating the Puerto Rican peso. However, printing of these banknotes ceased after 1815. During the following decades, foreign coins became the widespread currency. In the 1860s and 1870s, banknotes reemerged. On February 1, 1890, the Banco Español de Puerto Rico was inaugurated and began issuing banknotes. The bank designed four series and placed three in circulation under Spanish rule. In 1895, a Royal Decree ordered the production of provincial peso coins. (Full article...)
After being drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2004, Sánchez quickly worked his way through the Giants' minor league system. In 2006, he was called up to the major leagues and was used mostly in a long relief role. In 2007, he made the team out of spring training and was again used mostly in long relief, though he spent part of his season in the minors. In 2008, he made the Giants' starting rotation and remained in it for the entire year, except for a stint on the disabled list. (Full article...)
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Daniel Santos (June 6, 1916 – November 27, 1992) was a Puerto Rican singer and composer of boleros, and an overall performer of multiple Caribbean music genres, including guaracha, plena and rumba. Over the course of his career he adopted several names created by the public and became known as "El Jefe" and "El Inquieto Anacobero". (Full article...)
"Tiburones" was nominated for Song of the Year at the 21st Annual Latin Grammy Awards. The song was commercially successful in Latin America, reaching number one in Argentina and Puerto Rico, as well as the top 10 in eight other Latin American countries. Additionally, it became Martin's 49th entry on US Hot Latin Songs chart, making him the first and only artist in history to enter the chart in five different decades. The accompanying high conceptmusic video was directed by Puerto Rican director Kacho Lopez and filmed in Caguas, Puerto Rico. It depicts a citizen protest that will turn into a celebration at the end and is an ode to both LGBT community and women's rights. Billboard ranked it among the "22 Latin Music Videos to Celebrate Pride Month". (Full article...)
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"Qué Rico Fuera" (transl. "How Sweet It Would Be") is a song recorded by Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin and Chilean-American singer Paloma Mami. The song was written by Martin, Mami, Kevyn Mauricio Cruz, Juan Camilo Vargas, and Wissem Larfaoui, while the production was handled by Vargas, Cruz, and Larfaoui. It was released for digital download and streaming by Sony Music Latin on June 10, 2021. A primarily Spanish language urban pop, Afro-Latin, and Latin pop song, its lyrics are sensual and flirty.
"Qué Rico Fuera" received widely positive reviews from music critics, who complimented its fusion of sounds. It was nominated for International Collaboration of the Year at the 2021 Premios MUSA. The song was commercially successful in Latin America, reaching number one in Chile, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay, as well as the top 10 in Argentina and El Salvador, and Billboard's Latin Pop Airplay in the United States. It also became Mami's first entry on the BillboardLatin Airplay, Latin Pop Airplay, Latin Digital Song Sales, Argentina Hot 100, and Mexico Airplay charts. (Full article...)
April 21, 1927 - Birth of José Miguel Agrelot, Puerto Rican comedian, radio and television host and media icon known for his Don Cholito character (d. 2004)
The port was originally overseen by the Port of the Americas Authority (Spanish: Autoridad del Puerto de las Américas) a defunct government-owned corporation of Puerto Rico. As of December 2012, it was overseen by the newly created Autoridad del Puerto de Ponce. The Authority reported that when completed, the new port will have a storage capacity of 2.2 MillionTEUs. The Authority also reported that the port handled an estimated 504,044 short tons of cargo in 2007, and projected it to handle over 1.5 million in 2012. (Full article...)
... that during the Korean War, the Battle of Outpost Kelly accounted for seventy-three of the men missing in action from the total of 121 men reported MIAs of Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment[1] and that out of the seventy-three MIAs suffered by the regiment in the month of September, fifty of them occurred on the same day September 18? See: Puerto Ricans Missing in Action in the Korean War[2]
... that ninety-five members of Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment were court-martialed in what is considered the largest mass court-martial of the Korean War?
... that the 65th Infantry Regiment was the only unit ever transferred from active component Army to the National Guard?
... that Admiral Horacio Rivero, Jr., was the first Puerto Rican and second Hispanic to become a four-star Admiral in the U.S. Navy? The first Hispanic full Admiral was David Farragut during the American Civil War.
... that the U.S. Naval Station Roosevelt Roads was meant to be the Pearl Harbor of the Atlantic and that it was the largest naval installation in the world? Yes, in 1940, when Germany attacked Great Britain, the United States feared that if Germany controlled Great Britain, Mexico and the U.S. would be next. In 1940, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ordered the construction of a naval base in the Atlantic similar to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The site was meant to provide anchorage, docking, repair facilities, fuel, and supplies for 60% of the Atlantic Fleet. The naval base, which was named U.S. Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, became the largest naval installation in the world in land mass. The fate of the base was changed after the Germans were defeated and the Navy's attention shifted from the Atlantic to the Pacific.[6]
... that Brigadier General José M. Portela was and still is the youngest C-141 Starlifter aircraft commander and captain in the United States Air Force at age 26?[7]
... that during the Intentona de Yauco of March 26, 1897, the current version of the Flag of Puerto Rico was flown on the island for the first time by Fidel Vélez?[8]
The following are images from various Puerto Rico-related articles on Wikipedia.
Image 1Raising the US Flag over San Juan, October 18, 1898. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 2Sugar cane workers resting at the noon hour, Rio Piedras. Photograph by Jack Delano, a photographer for the Farm Security Administration. Ca. 1941. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 4An 1899, caricature by Louis Dalrymple (1866–1905), showing Uncle Sam harshly lecturing four black children labelled Philippines, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Cuba (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 6"El desastre es la colonia" (the disaster is the colony), words seen on light meter six months after Hurricane Maria (from Culture of Puerto Rico)
Image 7Flag flown by Fidel Vélez and his men during the "Intentona de Yauco" revolt. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 10The 45-star flag, used by the United States during the invasion of Puerto Rico, was also the official flag of Puerto Rico from 1899 to 1908. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 14Los Reyes Magos painted by Hipolito Marte Martinez, "In Puerto Rico, Melchior is always represented with dark skin" (from Culture of Puerto Rico)
Image 15'La escuelo del Maestro Cordero' by Puerto Rican artist Francisco Oller. (from Culture of Puerto Rico)
Image 16Hurricanes Irma and Maria sharply reduced the availability of electricity throughout the island (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 17El Imparcial headline: "Aviation (US) bombs Utuado" during Nationalist revolts. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 18The first Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, established in 1900. (from History of Puerto Rico)
Image 19US and Puerto Rico flags on a building in Puerto Rico (from Culture of Puerto Rico)
Image 24The original Lares revolutionary flag. The first "Puerto Rican Flag" used in the unsuccessful Grito de Lares (Lares Uprising). (from History of Puerto Rico)
I am concerned that many young people in this Hemisphere seem to envision the United States as a nation intoxicated by power, addicted to warfare, controlled by a military-industrial complex, and determined to preserve the status quo, that we are against rapid economic and social growth...
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^"Historia militar de Puerto Rico"; by Héctor Andrés Negroni (Author); Publisher: Sociedad Estatal Quinto Centenario (1992); Language: Spanish; ISBN-10: 8478441387; ISBN-13: 978-8478441389