ABSTRACT
Latin American writers and political leaders connect the concept of self-determination with the drive to eliminate any form of dependency, an aspiration that plays a role in Latin America that is equivalent to the quest of other peoples for self-determination. For that reason, Latin American writers and politicians usually present their fight against United States (US) economic penetration or domination as a struggle for self-determination. Charles G. Fenwick stresses that the controversial principle of self-determination remains in America, as in the world at large, a political one, not subject to specific rules of law. The Puerto Rican case is an exercise in political philosophy in connection with the notion of self-determination. The resolution, which is interpreted as a serious setback for the United States and Puerto Rico's pro-statehood forces, includes a point stating that before there can be a plebiscite on the question of the island's status, the US must withdraw.
