Statehood movement in Puerto Rico

Statehood movement in Puerto Rico
Purpose advocates for Puerto Rico to become a state of the United States
Key people
 Ricardo Rosselló
Carlos Romero Barceló
José Celso Barbosa
Luis A. Ferré
Luis Fortuño
Pedro Pierluisi
Pedro Rosselló
Affiliations New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association
Puerto Rico
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Puerto Rico

The statehood movement in Puerto Rico comprises initiatives throughout the history of Puerto Rico aimed at changing the political status of Puerto Rico from its current territorial status to becoming a federated state. The movement is not limited to one group of individuals or one single organization, but represents the events and activities of groups, organizations, and individuals that share the common goal of advocating, supporting, or seeking statehood for Puerto Rico. The territory currently has a population of 3.7 million, which represents 91% of the people living on U.S. Territorial Islands and more people than live in 21 of the states.

On the November 11, 2012 election, a plebiscite was held in which 53.97% of voters rejected the current territorial status on a first question, and 61.16% of voters on a second question about non-territorial options on political status, chose statehood.[1][2] On December 11, 2012, the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico enacted a concurrent resolution requesting the President and the Congress of the United States to respond diligently and effectively on the demand of the people of Puerto Rico to end its current political status and to begin the transition of Puerto Rico to become a state of the union.[3]

In 2014, resolutions were introduced in both houses of the United States Congress (H.R. 2000; S. 2020) to hold a yes-or-no referendum among the residents of Puerto Rico on statehood. Should a "yes" majority prevail, the President of the US should submit legislation to Congress enacting Puerto Rican statehood.[4][5] Both resolutions died in committee.[6]

Background

Further information: Political status of Puerto Rico

Following the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States in 1898, through the signing of the Treaty of Paris.[7] Puerto Rico became an unincorporated, organized territory of the US with Commonwealth status through the a series of judicial decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States, collectively known as "The Insular Cases" and the enactment of several statutes by Congress.

In 1900, the US Congress enacted the Foraker Act, establishing a civil government in the territory and then in 1917, Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship, by the enactment of the Jones-Shafroth Act.[8] The Office of the President is responsible for policy relations between the United States and Puerto Rico, although according to the Territorial Clause of Constitution of the United States of America "The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States...".[9]

Puerto Rico is, by a considerable margin, the largest U.S. territory in terms of both population and geographical area, being similar to Connecticut with respect to population size, and in geographical area similar to Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Puerto Rican residents do not participate in the Presidential elections, although once they establish residency in any of the 50 states or the District of Columbia they become eligible voters.

History

Since the transfer of sovereignty of Puerto Rico from Spain to the United States, the relationship between Puerto Rico and the US has been evolving. On April 11, 1899, the peace treaty between Spain and the USA (Treaty of Paris) became effective, and established a military government in Puerto Rico. This was short lived, since the following year (April 2, 1900) Congress enacted the Foraker Act, which established a civil government and free trade between Puerto Rico and the USA. Puerto Ricans, although uncapable of electing members of the territory's executive branch, but were now able to elect their local representatives and a resident commissioner to the US Congress, who had voice but no vote.[10] In 1917, the enactment of the Jones-Shafroth Act the territory of Puerto Rico was organized and statutory US citizenship was granted to its residents.[10]

Since 1967, there have been several referenda which include questions on statehood. Puerto Ricans chose not to alter the status quo in referenda until 2012. The 2012 referendum produced a more equivocal result.[11]

1998 referendum

A referendum in December 1998 offered voters four political status options, plus "none of the above." The latter option won 50.5% of the vote, followed by statehood, with 46.6%.[12] Turnout was 71%.[13]

2012 statehood vote

On November 6, 2012, eligible voters in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico were presented with two questions. First, when asked to approve or reject Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth (or territory), voters rejected it 54% to 46%.

Second, when then asked to choose their preferred status for Puerto Rico, 61.15% of those who marked an option chose statehood in the United States, while 24% of ballots were submitted blank. The preferred status consultation did not include Puerto Rico's current status as a territory (Estado Libre Asociado as defined by the 1952 Constitution) as a choice, but instead an alternative named "E.L.A. Soberano"[14] President Barack Obama has pledged to respect the voters' decision.[15] In December 2012, newspaper Caribbean Business allegedly obtained, from a White House source, a statement claiming that Obama urged Congress to act upon the referendum's results.[16] On August 1, 2013, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on Puerto Rico's status as a direct result of the 2012 referendum vote and invited Governor Alejandro García Padilla, Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, and pro-independence supporter Rubén Berríos to give testimony and answer questions from the committee.[17]

Future vote

The 2014 budget bill included $2.5 million in funding for a future vote in Puerto Rico's political status. This referendum can be held at any time, as there is no deadline attached to the funds.[18][19] The referendum may be an issue in the 2016 Puerto Rico gubernatorial election.[20]

Foreign affiliations

We favor a larger measure of self-government leading to statehood, for Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. We favor the appointment of residents to office, and equal treatment of the citizens of each of these three territories. We favor the prompt determination and payment of any just claims by Indian and Eskimo citizens of Alaska against the United States.[21]
I believe that the appropriate status for Puerto Rico is statehood. I propose, therefore, that the people of Puerto Rico and the Congress of the United States begin now to take those steps which will result in statehood for Puerto Rico. I will recommend to the 95th Congress the enactment of legislation providing for the admission of Puerto Rico as a State of the Union.[22]
I favor statehood for Puerto Rico and if the people of Puerto Rico vote for statehood in their coming referendum I would, as President, initiate the enabling legislation to make this a reality.[23]
There's another issue that I’ve decided to mention here tonight. I’ve long believed that the people of Puerto Rico should have the right to determine their own political future. Personally, I strongly favor statehood. But I urge the Congress to take the necessary steps to allow the people to decide in a referendum.[24]
We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state after they freely so determine. We recognize that Congress has the final authority to define the constitutionally valid options for Puerto Rico to achieve a permanent non-territorial status with government by consent and full enfranchisement. As long as Puerto Rico is not a state, however, the will of its people regarding their political status should be ascertained by means of a general right of referendum or specific referenda sponsored by the U.S. government.[27][28]
We believe that the people of Puerto Rico have the right to the political status of their choice, obtained through a fair, neutral, and democratic process of self-determination. The White House and Congress will work with all groups in Puerto Rico to enable the question of Puerto Rico's status to be resolved during the next four years.[29]
As President Obama said when he became the first President to visit Puerto Rico and address its people in 50 years, Boricuas every day help write the American story. Puerto Ricans have been proud American citizens for almost 100 years. During that time, the people of Puerto Rico have developed strong political, economic, social, and cultural ties to the United States. The political status of Puerto Rico remains an issue of overwhelming importance, but lack of resolution about status has held the island back. It is time for Puerto Rico to take the next step in the history of its status and its relationship to the rest of the United States. The White House Task Force Report on Puerto Rico has taken important and historic steps regarding status. We commit to moving resolution of the status issue forward with the goal of resolving it expeditiously. If local efforts in Puerto Rico to resolve the status issue do not provide a clear result in the short term, the President should support, and Congress should enact, self-executing legislation that specifies in advance for the people of Puerto Rico a set of clear status options, such as those recommended in the White House Task Force Report on Puerto Rico, which the United States is politically committed to fulfilling. The economic success of Puerto Rico is intimately linked to a swift resolution of the status question, as well as consistent, focused efforts on improving the lives of the people of Puerto Rico. We have made great progress for Puerto Rico over the past four years, including a sharp, historic increase in Medicaid funding for the people of Puerto Rico and fair and equitable inclusion in the Recovery Act and the Affordable Care Act. Going forward, we will continue working toward fair and equitable participation for Puerto Rico in federal programs. We support increased efforts by the federal government to improve public safety in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, with a particular emphasis on efforts to combat drug trafficking and crime throughout our Caribbean border. In addition, consistent with the task force report, we will continue to work on improving Puerto Rico's economic status by promoting job creation, education, health care, clean energy, and economic development on the Island.[30]

Statehood supporters

Supporters of Puerto Rican statehood:

Groups of Puerto Rican statehood:

Arguments against statehood

Arguments against admitting Puerto Rico as a state include the failure of the Puerto Rican people to express unequivocally the desire to become a state, as opposed to some other alternative to the current territorial status, the stark language and cultural differences between Puerto Rico and the United States, the current migration of Puerto Ricans away from Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico's poor economic conditions and its consequent need to be supported by the federal government.[33]

See also

Citations

  1. ↑ "CEE Event". 64.185.222.182. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  2. ↑ "CEE Event". 64.185.222.182. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  3. ↑ The Senate and the House of Representative of Puerto Rico Concurrent Resolution
  4. ↑ Opinion: Puerto Rico Statehood Is A Moral, Democratic And Economic Imperative
  5. ↑ Sen. Martin Heinrich Presents Bill Seeking Puerto Rico Statehood
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ "Avalon Project - Treaty of Peace Between the United States and Spain; December 10, 1898". avalon.law.yale.edu. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
  8. ↑ "Jones Act - The World of 1898: The Spanish-American War (Hispanic Division, Library of Congress)". www.loc.gov. Retrieved 2016-06-06.
  9. ↑ Staff, LII (2009-11-12). "Article IV". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  10. 1 2 "Puerto Rico's Relationship with the United States? - US History Scene". US History Scene. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  11. ↑ The World Factbook
  12. ↑ Nohlen 2005, p. 552.
  13. ↑ Nohlen 2005, p. 555.
  14. ↑ "Resultados Plebiscito". 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  15. ↑ http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/07/politics/election-puerto-rico/index.html
  16. ↑ White House clarifies status stance
  17. ↑ "Statements from U.S. Senate Hearing on Puerto Rico Political Status Plebiscite". 2013-08-05. Retrieved 2013-08-16.
  18. ↑ "U.S. approves funds for referendum on Puerto Rico's status". 2014-01-16. Retrieved 2014-01-19.
  19. ↑ "Make room for 51st star? Spending bill includes $2.5 million for vote on Puerto RIco statehood". 2014-01-22. Retrieved 2014-01-22.
  20. ↑ "First Insular Law in 2017 Could Move Puerto Rico to Statehood". Puerto Rico Report. October 29, 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  21. ↑ 1940 Democratic Platform, July 15, 1940
  22. ↑ "Gerald R. Ford: Statement on Proposed Statehood for Puerto Rico". Presidency.ucsb.edu. December 31, 1976. Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  23. ↑ "Presidents of the United States on Puerto Rico: A Legacy of Support for Human Rights and Self‐Determination" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-03-29.
  24. 1 2 Garrett, R. Sam; Keith, Bea (Jun 7, 2011). "Political Status of Puerto Rico: Options for Congress [Report RL32933]" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service.
  25. ↑ "Democratic Party Platforms: 2008 Democratic Party Platform". presidency.ucsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  26. ↑ "Republican Party Platforms: 2008 Republican Party Platform". presidency.ucsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  27. ↑ 2008 republican Platform : Government Reform, gop.com
  28. ↑ 2012 Republican Party Platform
  29. ↑ 2008 Democratic Party Platform, August 25, 2008, The American Presidency Project.
  30. ↑ 2012 Democratic National Platform
  31. 1 2 REPORT BY THE PRESIDENT's TASK FORCE ON PUERTO RICO's STATUS, page 23, Recommendation No. 1 & page 30, Recommendation No. 7 & Recommendation No. 2, page 24, 2nd paragraph of page 28, March 11, 2011, The White House.
  32. ↑ http://www.441pac.org
  33. ↑ http://www.stanforddaily.com/2015/03/02/a-debate-on-puerto-rican-statehood/

References

  • Nohlen, D (2005). Elections in the Americas: A data handbook. ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6. 
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