--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even when we were under the Spanish flag…" description: "\"Even when we were under the Spanish flag, we had a movement that just wanted assimilation into Spain, a movement of autonomy - which has been the major..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/anibal-acevedo-vila-26962_always_even-when-we-were-under-the-spanish-flag_936389.jpg" --- # Even when we were under the Spanish flag, we had a… ![“Even when we were under the Spanish flag, we had a movement that just wanted assimilation into Spain, a movement of autonomy - which has been the majority always - and a movement for separation. In that sense, Puerto Rico's political reality is very different from any place I know in the whole…” quote by Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/anibal-acevedo-vila-26962_always_even-when-we-were-under-the-spanish-flag_936389.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/anibal-acevedo-vila-26962_always_even-when-we-were-under-the-spanish-flag_936389.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/anibal-acevedo-vila-26962_always_even-when-we-were-under-the-spanish-flag_936389.jpg) > “Even when we were under the Spanish flag, we had a movement that just wanted assimilation into Spain, a movement of autonomy - which has been the majority always - and a movement for separation. In that sense, Puerto Rico's political reality is very different from any place I know in the whole world.” [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The political landscape of Puerto Rico is uniquely split between pro‑Spain assimilation, autonomy, and independence, unlike any other region. **In simple terms:** Puerto Rico has three competing political visions. Key Takeaway Recognize the complexity of identity politics. Themes politics identity colonialism autonomy separation Mood reflective analytical Type analytical political When to use this quote - policy analysis - academic research - community organizing - media commentary - educational curricula Key Concepts nationalism self‑determination cultural assimilation Questions to Reflect On - How do historical ties shape current political preferences? - What role does cultural identity play in autonomy debates? A Different Perspective The three movements often overlap, making clear choices difficult for voters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Assimilation Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assimilation-spain-1566914/) [Flag Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flag-movement-1566913/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place/) [Puerto rico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puerto-rico/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Rico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rico/) [Rico Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rico-political-1080210/) [Spain Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spain-movement-1566912/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Now that the there is a path for the people of Puerto Rico to express their self-determination on Puerto Rico's political status, there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-thornburgh/now-that-the-there-is-a-path-for-the-people-of-puerto-rico-to-express/) [Dick Thornburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-thornburgh/) > [The common goals of Puerto Rico and the United States have always been for the benefit of both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/the-common-goals-of-puerto-rico-and-the-united-states-have-always/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, but by their own choice, Puerto Rico is not a state. The relationship has worked well for Puerto Rico…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/puerto-ricans-are-u-s-citizens-but-by-their-own-choice-puerto-rico-is/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [I'm not going to impose my vision on the people of Puerto Rico.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/i-m-not-going-to-impose-my-vision-on-the-people-of-puerto-rico/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Commonwealth is the only alternative for Puerto Rico. It is the only alternative that harmonizes the aspirations and goals of the modern world by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/commonwealth-is-the-only-alternative-for-puerto-rico-it-is-the-only/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Nobody can doubt Puerto Rico, sociologically, linguistically, culturally, and historically, is a nation. We have our own rich culture, thousand years of history, unique…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/nobody-can-doubt-puerto-rico-sociologically-linguistically-culturally/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [We must all work together to bring the best to Puerto Rico.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/we-must-all-work-together-to-bring-the-best-to-puerto-rico/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [The majority of the people of Puerto Rico support commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/the-majority-of-the-people-of-puerto-rico-support-commonwealth/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Puerto Ricans, it doesn't matter where they live, it doesn't matter how long it's been since they visited the island, their hearts are there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/puerto-ricans-it-doesn-t-matter-where-they-live-it-doesn-t-matter-how/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [My mother always gives the best advice. When I left Puerto Rico to pursue my dreams, she always supported me and said to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roselyn-sanchez/my-mother-always-gives-the-best-advice-when-i-left-puerto-rico-to/) [Roselyn Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roselyn-sanchez/) > [I know Spanish pretty well. I'm half-Puerto Rican - my mom is from Puerto Rico - so I have a lot of family there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lambert/i-know-spanish-pretty-well-i-m-half-puerto-rican-my-mom-is-from/) [David Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lambert/) > [You want a lesson? I'll give you a lesson. How about a geography lesson? My father's from Puerto Rico. My mother's from El Salvador.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-esposito/you-want-a-lesson-i-ll-give-you-a-lesson-how-about-a-geography-lesson/) [Jennifer Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-esposito/) > [I had such a great upbringing in Puerto Rico, and it was just a very normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roselyn-sanchez/i-had-such-a-great-upbringing-in-puerto-rico-and-it-was-just-a-very/) [Roselyn Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roselyn-sanchez/) > [We are a possession of the United States. Congress has full authorization power over Puerto Rico.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-rossello/we-are-a-possession-of-the-united-states-congress-has-full/) [Ricardo Rossello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-rossello/) > [I represent the streets of Puerto Rico around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuel-aa/i-represent-the-streets-of-puerto-rico-around-the-world/) [Anuel AA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuel-aa/) ## More by Anibal Acevedo Vila > [Grant us more powers, not less; grant us more democracy, not less; grant us the tools to move forward because, I can assure you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/grant-us-more-powers-not-less-grant-us-more-democracy-not-less-grant/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Puerto Ricans, it doesn't matter where they live, it doesn't matter how long it's been since they visited the island, their hearts are there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/puerto-ricans-it-doesn-t-matter-where-they-live-it-doesn-t-matter-how/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [I believe - and so do most Puerto Ricans - that the ideas that will prevail in the new century will be those similar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/i-believe-and-so-do-most-puerto-ricans-that-the-ideas-that-will/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [You defend the truth no matter what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/you-defend-the-truth-no-matter-what/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [The majority of the people of Puerto Rico support commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/the-majority-of-the-people-of-puerto-rico-support-commonwealth/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [We must all work together to bring the best to Puerto Rico.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/we-must-all-work-together-to-bring-the-best-to-puerto-rico/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Nobody can doubt Puerto Rico, sociologically, linguistically, culturally, and historically, is a nation. We have our own rich culture, thousand years of history, unique…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/nobody-can-doubt-puerto-rico-sociologically-linguistically-culturally/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [If there is a problem with democracy, the answer has to be more democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/if-there-is-a-problem-with-democracy-the-answer-has-to-be-more/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Since its inception, the American nation has had on its official seal the following motto: 'e pluribus unum,' which in Latin means, 'from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/since-its-inception-the-american-nation-has-had-on-its-official-seal/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Statehood is not a model for economic development; it is simply a way to organize a federation. What statehood does in fiscal and economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/statehood-is-not-a-model-for-economic-development-it-is-simply-a-way/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Commonwealth is the only alternative for Puerto Rico. It is the only alternative that harmonizes the aspirations and goals of the modern world by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/commonwealth-is-the-only-alternative-for-puerto-rico-it-is-the-only/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Washington is a very complicated city. You have to work the personal relationships. They are politicians, they are congressmen, they are senators, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/washington-is-a-very-complicated-city-you-have-to-work-the-personal/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [A 97-percent win is the kind of result you get in a one-party regime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/a-97-percent-win-is-the-kind-of-result-you-get-in-a-one-party-regime/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [Thank God for paper ballots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/thank-god-for-paper-ballots/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) > [The war in Iraq has fractured the political will of the United States and the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anibal-acevedo-vila/the-war-in-iraq-has-fractured-the-political-will-of-the-united-states/) [Anibal Acevedo Vila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) [Explore all 21 Anibal Acevedo Vila quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anibal-acevedo-vila/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even when we were under the Spanish flag, we had a movement that just wanted assimilation into Spain, a movement of autonomy - which has been the majority always - and a movement for separation. 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