Puerto Rico has been part of the US for 125 years, but its future remains contested

A woman waves a Puerto Rico flag to support Puerto Rican statehood on March 2, 2021. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

In the 125 years since U.S. troops invaded Puerto Rico on July 25, 1898, during the Spanish-American War, the U.S. government has controlled the island militarily, politically and economically – with no end in sight or, for Puerto Rico, a clear path to statehood.

That has been an issue of contention for many Puerto Ricans living on the island and stateside.