+5 Yes, Puerto Rico is widely considered a colony—or often described as the world's oldest colony—due to its status as an unincorporated U.S. territory. While residents are U.S. citizens, they lack voting representation in Congress, cannot vote for president,
But not lately. They've been voting for becoming a state since Obama iirc, and they've been systematically ignored by Democrat and Republican administrations.
I must add, independence movements are rarely allowed by the oppressor. So, they shouldn't be bothered about what the USA will "let" them do, if they were inclined for independence, which, I repeat, is not the case with PR.