Puerto Rico’s Representative Demands Answers as Military Activity Surges on the Island

Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández is demanding immediate answers from the Pentagon after a spike in unexplained military activity on the island, warning that communities “cannot bear additional uncertainty” as the U.S. increases its forces across the Caribbean.

“Any indication of new military operations in Vieques — whether on the ground or in FAA-controlled airspace — requires a clear and immediate explanation,” Hernández, who represents Puerto Rico in Congress, wrote in a Friday letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that was shared publicly Monday. “The people of Puerto Rico have a right to know, without ambiguity, what operations are being authorized and whether these activities threaten the federally mandated cleanup process.”