Puerto Rico statehood movement

The Puerto Rico statehood movement (Spanish: movimiento estadista de Puerto Rico) aims to make Puerto Rico a state of the United States. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territorial possession of the United States acquired in 1898 following the Spanish–American War, making it "the oldest colony in the modern world".[1][a] As of 2023, the population of Puerto Rico is 3.2 million, around half the average state population and higher than that of 19 U.S. states. Statehood is one of several competing options for the future political status of Puerto Rico, including: maintaining its current status, becoming fully independent, or becoming a freely associated state. Puerto Rico has held six referendums on the topic. These are non-binding, as the power to grant statehood lies with the US Congress. The most recent referendum was in November 2020, with a majority (52.52%) of those who voted opting for statehood.[23]

Although the previous two referendums (November 2012 and June 2017) also had ostensibly pro-statehood outcomes, The New York Times described them as "marred, with ballot language phrased to favor the party in office".[24] For example, the fourth referendum, held in November 2012, asked voters (1) whether they wanted to maintain the current political status of Puerto Rico and, if not, (2) which alternative status they prefer. Of the fifty-four percent (54.0%) who voted "No" on maintaining the status quo, 61.11% chose statehood, 33.34% chose free association, and 5.55% chose independence.[25][26][27][28] Opponents of statehood argued that these results did not show that a majority of Puerto Rican voters support statehood. The June 2017 referendum was, according to The New York Times, a "flawed election" where the turnout was only 23%, in part because most statehood opponents sat out. 97% of votes cast favored statehood.[24] The November 2020 referendum was the first to ask voters a simple yes-or-no question: "Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately into the Union as a State?". There were 655,505 votes in favor of statehood (52.52%) and 592,671 votes opposed (47.48%), with a turnout of 1,248,476 voters out of the total population stated by census Population Estimates of 3,221,789 as of July 1, 2022.[29] The 55% turnout rate equaled that for the simultaneous 2020 gubernatorial race and the 2016 gubernatorial race.

  1. ^ José Trías Monge. Puerto Rico : the trials of the oldest colony in the world. New Haven, CT; London, England : Yale University Press, 1999. p. 4.
  2. ^ The Recolonization of Puerto Rico, Part 1. The Voluntown Peace Trust. 22 July 2021. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  3. ^ Colonialism in Puerto Rico. Pedro Caban. SUNY-Albany. Latin American, Caribbean, and US Latino Studies Faculty. 2015. p. 516. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  4. ^ C.D. Burnett, et al., Foreign in a Domestic Sense: Puerto Rico, American Expansion, and the Constitution. Duke University Press. 2001. ISBN 9780822326984
  5. ^ Definitions of Insular Area Political Organizations. U.S. Department of the Interior. Office of Insular Affairs. 2021. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  6. ^ Juan Gonzalez. Harvest of Empire Penguin Press. 2001. pp.60–63.ISBN 978-0-14-311928-9
  7. ^ "7 FAM 1120 Acquisition of U.S. Nationality in U.S. Territories and Possessions". U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual Volume 7 - Consular Affairs. U.S. Department of State. January 3, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  8. ^ "Let Puerto Rico Decide How to end its Colony Status: True Nationhood Stands on the Pillar of Independence." Rosalinda de Jesus. The Allentown Morning Call. Republished by The Puerto Rico Herald. July 21, 2002. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Puerto Rico - The debate over political status". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  10. ^ Resolution 748 (VIII). Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Puerto Rico: Commonwealth, Statehood, or Independence? Constitutional Rights Foundation". Archived from the original on June 10, 2009.
  12. ^ Sidney W. Mintz. Three Ancient Colonies. Harvard University Press. 2010. pp. 135-136.
  13. ^ "Why Puerto Rico has debated U.S. statehood since its colonization". History. July 24, 2020. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  14. ^ Juan Torruella, Groundbreaking U.S. Appeals Judge, Dies at 87. Sam Roberts. The New York Times. 28 October 2020. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  15. ^ Can't We Just Sell the World's Oldest Colony and Solve Puerto Rico's Political Status? Luis Martínez-Fernández. 16 July 2020. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  16. ^ Hopes for DC, Puerto Rico statehood rise. Marty Johnson and Rafael Bernal. The Hill. 24 September 2020. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  17. ^ José Trías Monge. Puerto Rico: The trials of the oldest colony in the world. Yale University Press. 1997. p.3. ISBN 9780300076189
  18. ^ Angel Collado-Schwarz. Decolonization Models for America's Last Colony: Puerto Rico. Syracuse University Press. 2012. ISBN 0815651082
  19. ^ Live results for Puerto Rico's statehood referendum. Nicole Narea. MSN Microsoft News. 5 November 2020. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  20. ^ Puerto Ricans Vote to Narrowly Approve Controversial Statehood Referendum & Elect 4 LGBTQ Candidates. Amy Goodman and Ana Irma Rivera Lassén. Democracy Now! 6 November 2020. Accessed 13 September 2021.
  21. ^ The Political Travesty of Puerto Rico: Like all U.S. territories, Puerto Rico has no real representation in its own national government. David S. Cohen. RollingStone. 26 September 2017. Accessed 15 December 2020.
  22. ^ Sidney W. Mintz. Three Ancient Colonies: Caribbean Themes and Variations. Cambridge Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. 2010. p. 134.
  23. ^ Puerto Rico State Commission on Elections
  24. ^ a b Frances Robles (June 11, 2017). "23% of Puerto Ricans Vote in Referendum, 97% of Them for Statehood". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  25. ^ "CEE Event - CONDICIÓN POLÍTICA TERRITORIAL ACTUAL - Resumen" (in Spanish). Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico. November 8, 2012. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  26. ^ "CEE Event - OPCIONES NO TERRITORIALES - Resumen" (in Spanish). Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico. November 8, 2012. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  27. ^ "CEE Event". 64.185.222.182. Archived from the original on August 4, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  28. ^ "CEE Event". 64.185.222.182. Archived from the original on August 4, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  29. ^ "QuickFacts". www.census.gov. Retrieved September 12, 2023.


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).