Luis López Nieves' short story "Seva" takes place during the 1898 US invasion of Puerto Rico, in the fictional town of the same name, Seva. The story, first published in the newspaper Claridad, and which many readers mistook for fact, has sparked a very real debate about culture, identity, history and truth amongst Puerto Ricans of all stripes. The documentary Seva Vive explores these themes.

Historians continue to discuss the subjective nature of recorded history and the fine line between fiction and fact.

Historians discuss the extent to which popular myths such as Seva affect people's perception of history in Puerto Rico.