Puerto Rico remains in the stranglehold of crippling colonialism, Wall Street control of an odious debt and continues to struggle to access basic services in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane season. The island continues to face massive displacement and depopulation, deep austerity, cuts to essential public goods and services and an economy in service of the United States. The United States Congress imposed a fiscal control board which is composed of financial executives, exposing full colonial rule and abandoning any semblance of democratic processes or self-rule. Critical public goods and services are being cut under deep austerity while banks and vulture funds demand full repayment of $130 billion. This panel will focus not only on the colonial imposition and the use of debt to control the population and deprive citizens of their fundamental rights, but also on ongoing legal, organizing and advocacy strategies to fight these impositions and to further the demands for human rights and economic and environmental justice. NOTE: WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THIS BE A MAJOR PANEL AND NOT JUST A WORKSHOP.