Hidden underneath in PR: they like being on the dole. They get money, without being accountable.
You Are Right!
The Dem politicians do, but most Puerto Ricans don’t. They do very well in the US - even the impoverished ones brought in to NYC and other places as labor during WWII - because like most Hispanics they’re very entrepreneurial.
PR was getting better, and then left kicked out the Navy base, which was a great job and prosperity provider, and also of course supported many small businesses.
Because of the odd status of PR, the leftist state employee unions have a lot of power there, and they’ve relentlessly prevented any attempt to improve PR.
The last time PR had a GOP governor, he did a great job and they were very happy with him...he was defeated, although only narrowly, by the SEIU.