Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
On 10 May 1962, ITN's David Holden reported from Puerto Rico as islanders openly questioned their political future and their unique relationship with the United States. In 1962, Puerto Rico was a US commonwealth: its people were American citizens but lacked congressional representation and could not vote in presidential elections. Following the 1959 Cuban Revolution, US Cold War anxieties intensified across the Caribbean, making the debate about Puerto Rico’s ambiguous, unequal position more urgent as Washington sought to maintain influence in the region amid rising Marxist movements. Through interviews with a range of political opinions – from those who sought full statehood within the USA to those pushing for total independence outside it – the programme captures a society wrestling with identity, self‑determination and accusations of being treated as “3rd class citizens.”
#PuertoRico #PuertoRican #USA #ColdWar #LatinAmerica #America #Americas #Commonwealth #Colony #1960s #1962 #Cuba #ColdWar
To license the footage featured in this clip, follow the link below:
gettyimages.co.uk/search/2/film?phrase=X10056201*&sort=mostpopular&family=editorial
To search the ITN Archive collection on Getty Images, follow the link below:
gettyimages.co.uk/footage/itn
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel (tap the bell icon and stay up to date with all the latest ITN Archive videos!) - youtube.com/@FrontlinebyITN
🎥 Follow us on Twitter - twitter.com/ITNArchive
🎥 Like us on Facebook - facebook.com/ITNArchiveITNP
🎥 Check out our TikTok - tiktok.com/@itnarchive1955
On 10 May 1962, ITN's David Holden reported from Puerto Rico as islanders openly questioned their political future and their unique relationship with the United States. In 1962, Puerto Rico was a US commonwealth: its people were American citizens but lacked congressional representation and could not vote in presidential elections. Following the 1959 Cuban Revolution, US Cold War anxieties intensified across the Caribbean, making the debate about Puerto Rico’s ambiguous, unequal position more urgent as Washington sought to maintain influence in the region amid rising Marxist movements. Through interviews with a range of political opinions – from those who sought full statehood within the USA to those pushing for total independence outside it – the programme captures a society wrestling with identity, self‑determination and accusations of being treated as “3rd class citizens.”
#PuertoRico #PuertoRican #USA #ColdWar #LatinAmerica #America #Americas #Commonwealth #Colony #1960s #1962 #Cuba #ColdWar
To license the footage featured in this clip, follow the link below:
gettyimages.co.uk/search/2/film?phrase=X10056201*&sort=mostpopular&family=editorial
To search the ITN Archive collection on Getty Images, follow the link below:
gettyimages.co.uk/footage/itn
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel (tap the bell icon and stay up to date with all the latest ITN Archive videos!) - youtube.com/@FrontlinebyITN
🎥 Follow us on Twitter - twitter.com/ITNArchive
🎥 Like us on Facebook - facebook.com/ITNArchiveITNP
🎥 Check out our TikTok - tiktok.com/@itnarchive1955
