A Commentary on the Political Status of Puerto Rico

On July 26, I wrote a post discussing the 72nd anniversary of Puerto Rico’s Constitution. In that post, I indicated that I would follow up with another piece to share my personal insights and thoughts on the topic of Puerto Rico’s political status.

To start, let me summarize our history. Christopher Columbus arrived on the island in 1493, and it effectively came under Spanish rule until 1898. In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, U.S. forces landed on the island of Puerto Rico and defeated Spain. In 1899, Spain ceded the island to the United States under the Treaty of Paris. In 1917, the U.S. granted citizenship to Puerto Ricans, and in 1947, the island received approval to elect its own governor. Luis Muñoz Marín was elected as the first governor of Puerto Rico in 1948, and the first constitution was approved in 1952, with the consent of the U.S. Congress, establishing the island as a commonwealth.

There has been much debate on the island since then about its future among the main political parties: the New Progressive Party (NPP), the Popular Democratic Party (PDP), and the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP). The NPP is pro-statehood, the PDP supports maintaining the current status or a variation of it, and the PIP advocates for independence.

There have been six referendums in Puerto Rico since 1967 (see the table below), and there will be another one in November of this year. All of them have been non-binding referendums, as the power to grant statehood or change the current status lies with the U.S. Congress, yet the government of Puerto Rico is spending millions of dollars on them. The data is interesting and tells us a lot. 

Results of Puerto Rico’s status referendums, vote total (% total)1

Clearly, at least according to the data, independence is not something that the majority of Puerto Ricans living on the island want, mainly due to the intimidation and misinformation campaigns by the NPP and PDP leaders. These campaigns often focus on the fear that Puerto Rico will become another Cuba or Venezuela, which makes no sense based on historical facts. Puerto Rico does not share the revolutionary ideology that drove those countries to their current political status. 

The 1967 and 1993 referendums were pretty straightforward, with the current political status winning the majority of the votes. However, starting in 1998, manipulation by the New Progressive Party, which was in power during each of those referendums, began to affect the outcomes. This manipulation involved giving statehood an advantage by changing definitions, removing options, and confusing people with the questions. In 2012, over 500,000 blank ballots were cast in protest of the referendum, and there was a low turnout in 2017 due to another protest.   

The people are so frustrated with the leadership and lack of useful information that electoral turnout is in decline, which doesn’t help the cause.

Over 400 years under Spanish rule, combined with over 120 years under a territorial status with the United States, have created a lot of confusion in terms of identity and made the people “stoically content,” as historian R.A. Van Middeldyk wrote in his book “The History of Puerto Rico.”

The people of Puerto Rico seem satisfied with the status quo or, at the very least, are handling the political challenges in a passive manner, which various leaders over the years have taken advantage of.

In 1824, the appointed governor of Puerto Rico, Miguel de la Torre, instituted a policy he called “dance, drink, and dice” as a way to keep the population entertained and away from any revolutionary thought.2 Recently, the current Governor, Pedro Pierluisi, stated that “statehood would help residents in Puerto Rico receive equal funds and benefits in Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and supplemental social security.”3

There is also much discussion about how much money Puerto Rico would receive if the island became a state. Many news reports highlight that “Backers say the referendum could help the island overcome a decade-long economic crisis as it struggles to restructure nearly $70 billion in public debt and faces a federal control board pushing for more austerity measures. If U.S. Congress ultimately were to approve Puerto Rico as the 51st state, the island could receive an additional $10 billion in federal funds a year, and its government agencies and municipalities would be able to file for bankruptcy, something that both local and federal laws currently prohibit.”4 

The discussion is always about keeping Puerto Ricans “happy” and providing more money. But is that what the island needs? Or, more importantly, is that what the people really want?

Even though we have been part of the United States since 1898, the island seems to be rejecting the idea of a permanent union.

If you take all the political manipulation out of the equation, the data will show that the majority do not want a permanent union with the United States. If Congress and the President ever decide to address Puerto Rico’s status, they will find this to be true. One reason for this rejection is the strong cultural differences that exist. There are also political implications, which contribute to inaction by the United States Congress. 

If Puerto Rico joins the United States, the new state will most likely lean Democrat, resulting in two more Democrats in the Senate and an unspecified number of Democrats in Congress. A similar argument is being made with the initiative to have Washington D.C. join the Union. I don’t see any scenario where Puerto Rico becomes a state before Washington D.C.

So what’s next then? I sincerely believe that the politicians need to stop talking about the status and focus instead on governing. Take for example the recovery efforts after Hurricane Maria.

The hurricane devastated the island in 2017, and the United States provided billions of dollars to restore services and infrastructure. Almost seven years later, the island is still working on these recovery efforts and trying to figure out how to use the money provided by the U.S. Fortunately, leaders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and others in the U.S. government are pushing the island’s leaders hard, and they have begun to implement projects and use some of the funds.

Instead of fighting about the status, the government should focus on combating corruption, which is rampant on the island, improving the education and health systems, and finding a way to balance the budget and generate income so they can address the massive $123 billion debt ($74 billion in bond debt and $49 billion in unfunded pension liabilities). The U.S. government had to establish a control board under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) in 2016 to help the island out of debt, as the leaders in Puerto Rico are incapable of managing the crisis.

Once the island is out of the current financial crisis, which is very close, the leaders on the island should work on defining the political options and reaching a consensus on the way forward. In my opinion, the island should consider a Compact of Free Association with the United States, similar to what the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau have. The compact provides defense, funding grants, and access to U.S. social services for citizens while Puerto Rico develops its independence. This would also give enough time for pro-statehood supporters and others to move to the mainland if they choose to.

But of course, the United States Congress and the President need to take the first step because, as we know, the majority of people in Puerto Rico are “stoically content.”

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico_political_status_plebiscites with data from https://electionspuertorico.org/cgi-bin/events.cgi  ↩︎
  2. Lecturas Básicas Sobre History de Puerto Rico. (P. 41). Puerto Rico: Departamento de Instrucción Publica, 1970   ↩︎
  3. https://www.yahoo.com/news/puerto-rico-status-plebiscite-novembers-224604893.html ↩︎
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20170204020835/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/puerto-rico-gov-approves-referendum-in-quest-for-statehood/2017/02/03/ddea7392-ea54-11e6-903d-9b11ed7d8d2a_story.html?utm_term=.dc045f64f467 ↩︎

37 thoughts on “A Commentary on the Political Status of Puerto Rico”

    1. Thank you so much, Cindy. I was thinking about writing an opinion piece and submitting it to one of the local papers. A letter is a great idea—thank you for the recommendation. You’re the best, my friend. 🫶🏼

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  8. Very insightful and comprehensive, Edward! I learned a lot from your post! I found this question particularly relevant: “But is that what the island needs? Or, more importantly, is that what the people really want?” because the willing and well-being of people is often neglected, especially in places where several “layers” of history (and external interests and manipulations) are found. To find the best solution at all levels—social, financial, political, etc.—becomes complex, but I believe that with good will and good discernment it is possible! Hope it comes soon, for the greatest good of all!! Lots of light and blessings to you, my friend!!

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  10. Thanks for the detailed overview of Puerto Rico’s political status and history. Your insights into the impact of political manipulation and the need for effective governance are spot-on. The focus should indeed shift towards addressing issues like corruption and economic recovery rather than just statehood or independence debates. Considering options like a Compact of Free Association could be a thoughtful way forward. Your analysis adds valuable perspective to this important discussion.

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    1. Thank you, Willie. I try to stay informed about what’s going on on the island, and it’s insane what the local papers are reporting. They are about to fire the sub-secretary of education for corruption.

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  12. What a terrific post, Edward. So much info I needed to know. 400 years of colonial rule followed by 120 years of quasi-colonial ‘we want to keep our influence on the island with minimal effort’ rule. I didn’t know about the association possibility that the Pacific Islands have, but I can imagine that looser connection, providing military support/protection that’s of mutual advantage, being more appealing than union. As you say, the cultural differences are huge, and cultural pride and protection is really important to people. As far as I’m concerned, even the cultural differences between the U.S. and Canada are worth keeping separate, and most people would be hard pressed to recognize them. Gosh, I hope Puerto Rico can find a way to stay solvent, stay democratic, and find a solid path to, as Quebecers would say, maîtres ces nous. Thanks for this post. I love reading about Puerto Rican history (and politics).

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    1. Thank you so much, Jane. I believe that the association will receive a lot of support if the people of Puerto Rico are informed about what it is and its benefits. Having government officials from those countries visit the island and engage in discussions with the population could help, but I’m not sure that the current politicians are ready for those conversations. Hopefully, we’ll achieve “maîtres c’est nous” one day.

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  13. I too find your post informative and helpful. It is complicated but I get the gist. Who in Congress or in DC has a listening ear or who is showing leadership in resolving the situation? Seems your voice needs to be heard at that level.

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    1. Thank you very much, Mary. I think the status of Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and other territories is an important issue and should be discussed more, not only in Congress but across the nation, to resolve it. At some point, a decision needs to be made: either admit them or grant them independence. Washington D.C. is a special case, and Congress should admit it without delay.

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