Article posted on the August/September issue of Que Pasa, UD?:
Puerto Rico’s political status haunts Puerto Rican society. The debate over status is the paramount element of Puerto Rican politics and has the infamous reputation of being the main political divider of Puerto Ricans. After 512 years as a territorial possession, Puerto Ricans deserve a definitive decision. The American democracy should advance Puerto Rico’s self-determination and foster a final solution to the status problem.
Puerto Rico is the oldest colony in the world. The island was a Spanish colony for four centuries before the United States took possession of it during the Spanish-American War of 1898. Thereafter, Puerto Rico became a non-incorporated territory of the U.S. The United States Congress reserved supreme authority over the island’s affairs and later granted American citizenship to Puerto Ricans in 1917.
The Puerto Rican Constitution, drafted in 1952, established a bipartite pact between Puerto Rico and the United States, and created the “Free Associated State of Puerto Rico,” a commonwealth in practice. This constitution gave Puerto Rico its own branches of government and a marked autonomy in handling its own affairs. In essence, Puerto Ricans established the “best of both worlds” since they could enjoy the benefits of being a territory of the United States, including American citizenship, meanwhile retaining certain governmental autonomy as a free associated state.
Massive support for the “Free Associated State” in the 1950s has given way to a present divide over what should be done regarding the island’s status. The framers of the Puerto Rican Constitution saw the Free Associated State as a form of government that could evolve and be enhanced over time. Accordingly, a majority of Puerto Rican voters hold that what was viable in 1952 does not hold true for the realities of the 21st century and that the current status has to be enhanced or eliminated altogether.
The statehood and independence movements, those that want to terminate the current status, hold a majority of votes in Puerto Rico. The statehood movement contends that the current Free Associated State impedes the social and economic development of Puerto Rico and that only incorporation into the United States can fully guarantee citizenship rights and secure Puerto Rico’s prosperity into the future. The independence movement argues that the Puerto Rican nation is owed its independence as a separate and sovereign state whose culture and history is markedly different to that of the U.S. In addition, the independentistas allege that Puerto Rico would enjoy a more prosperous future by joining the global community of nations and seeking its fortunes as an independent republic.
Division also exists within the political sector that has supported the Free Associated State over the past 50 years and which holds under half of the electorate. Conservatives argue that the current status should be defended and reformists contend that said status requires an overhaul. Reformists propose that Puerto Rico become an “associated republic” of the U.S., which they see as the logical final step in the evolving Puerto Rican-American relationship. With the statehood, independence, and associated republic movements asking for change, a majority of Puerto Ricans clearly desire a permanent answer to the question of what political status Puerto Rico should have.
The greatest impediment to this solution is that both the U.S. Congress and Puerto Rico have not made a bilateral effort to achieve it. The opposing groups of the Puerto Rican political class have not put aside their differences and established a common demand due to political intransigence. In turn, Congress has been inert since it does not see the status of four million American citizens in Puerto Rico as a priority, and has failed to address the problem with seriousness due to the indecision of Puerto Rican politicians. Nonetheless, the people of Puerto Rico demand a change from the politics of status that have divided many and neglected the true public needs of Puerto Ricans for decades. Congress and the Puerto Rican political class must heed the people’s claim and act together to meet their demands.
Jose Cabrera
Alum ‘06
Link: http://www.quepasaud.com/articles/aug_sept_06/article_07.asp
May 12, 2009 at 2:30 pm |
Puerto Rico should become a free Associated State it should never become the 51st state. We would loose the only homeland that we have. We would loose our culture and our language this is what happened to Hawaii lets not make that mistake. I love Puerto Rico and would like to be proud of my own country like Dominicans are proud of there own country the Dominican Republic. Lets not sell out we can make it if we keep an affiliation with the U.S. and open up our Island to other countries to invest in.