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Puerto Rico's vote for US statehood signals dissatisfaction with status quo Puerto Rico's vote for US statehood signals dissatisfaction with status quo
(3 days later)
In a tumultuous election this Tuesday, Puerto Rico elected a new governor and voted in favor of statehood in the fourth status plebiscite to be held on the island since 1967. While it is the first time that the statehood option has won, it is far from clear, for several reasons, that this will affect Puerto Rico's status in the near future. In many ways, the election results will be remembered more for the voters' rejection of the hardline austerity policies of its outgoing pro-statehood governor, and an apparent sense of urgency for dealing with the economic crisis that has affected the island since 2006. In a tumultuous election on Tuesday 6 November, Puerto Rico elected a new governor and voted in favor of statehood in the fourth status plebiscite to be held on the island since 1967. While it is the first time that the statehood option has won, it is far from clear, for several reasons, that this will affect Puerto Rico's status in the near future. In many ways, the election results will be remembered more for the voters' rejection of the hardline austerity policies of its outgoing pro-statehood governor, and an apparent sense of urgency for dealing with the economic crisis that has affected the island since 2006.
Annexed by the US as booty in its victory in the Spanish-American war of 1898, Puerto Rico has been an "unincorporated territory" for over a century, largely because, after its subjugation, it was considered too alien and unfit to be absorbed as a state. A colony of Spain since the late 15th century, the island is still considered a colony by the United Nations Decolonization Committee, but its people have been US citizens since 1917. After violent nationalist revolts against the imposition of US military governors in the 1930s and 1940s, a constitution was enacted in 1952 that gave the island limited self-government. The commonwealth status was designed to be a temporary one that would be resolved in the future – when the island was ready.Annexed by the US as booty in its victory in the Spanish-American war of 1898, Puerto Rico has been an "unincorporated territory" for over a century, largely because, after its subjugation, it was considered too alien and unfit to be absorbed as a state. A colony of Spain since the late 15th century, the island is still considered a colony by the United Nations Decolonization Committee, but its people have been US citizens since 1917. After violent nationalist revolts against the imposition of US military governors in the 1930s and 1940s, a constitution was enacted in 1952 that gave the island limited self-government. The commonwealth status was designed to be a temporary one that would be resolved in the future – when the island was ready.
Since then, the island's politics have been dominated by parties that represent three potential statuses: commonwealth, statehood and independence. The parties that represent commonwealth and statehood have rotated in power while the Independence party remains a small minority, garnering an average 5% of the vote. The plebiscite that was held last Tuesday was largely the project of the New Progressive party, the pro-statehood party, and it was weighted to give the statehood option the advantage.Since then, the island's politics have been dominated by parties that represent three potential statuses: commonwealth, statehood and independence. The parties that represent commonwealth and statehood have rotated in power while the Independence party remains a small minority, garnering an average 5% of the vote. The plebiscite that was held last Tuesday was largely the project of the New Progressive party, the pro-statehood party, and it was weighted to give the statehood option the advantage.
The two-part format of the plebiscite, with the first question asking if the status needed to be changed from commonwealth, and the second presenting alternatives of "sovereign free associated state" (a yet-to-be-determined hybrid of independence and commonwealth), statehood and independence, was widely interpreted to be biased in favor of statehood. In fact, in the campaign leading to the election, the Popular Democratic party, the pro-commonwealth party, encouraged its followers to enter a blank vote on question two. If one counts the blank votes, the statehood option won only 45% of the vote, failing to win a simple majority, and gaining less than the combined total of "sovereign free association" and blank votes.The two-part format of the plebiscite, with the first question asking if the status needed to be changed from commonwealth, and the second presenting alternatives of "sovereign free associated state" (a yet-to-be-determined hybrid of independence and commonwealth), statehood and independence, was widely interpreted to be biased in favor of statehood. In fact, in the campaign leading to the election, the Popular Democratic party, the pro-commonwealth party, encouraged its followers to enter a blank vote on question two. If one counts the blank votes, the statehood option won only 45% of the vote, failing to win a simple majority, and gaining less than the combined total of "sovereign free association" and blank votes.
More importantly, the plebiscite was never authorized by US Congress and is in no way a binding resolution. The law only requires the Puerto Rican government to report the results to Washington. Since the incumbent pro-statehood governor, Luis Fortuño, lost his re-election attempt, the plebiscite has no strong advocate save for Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi. Although he maintains close ties to some House Democrats, Pierluisi will have a tough time convincing Republicans that Puerto Rican statehood, which would add to the US budget, would be desirable. Incoming Governor Alejandro García has already announced his intention to hold a constitutional convention and push for a new Congress-authorized plebiscite in 2014.More importantly, the plebiscite was never authorized by US Congress and is in no way a binding resolution. The law only requires the Puerto Rican government to report the results to Washington. Since the incumbent pro-statehood governor, Luis Fortuño, lost his re-election attempt, the plebiscite has no strong advocate save for Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi. Although he maintains close ties to some House Democrats, Pierluisi will have a tough time convincing Republicans that Puerto Rican statehood, which would add to the US budget, would be desirable. Incoming Governor Alejandro García has already announced his intention to hold a constitutional convention and push for a new Congress-authorized plebiscite in 2014.
The vote did display ample evidence that the people of Puerto Rico are no longer satisfied with the current commonwealth status, particularly since there has been a recession since 2006 and unemployment has reached as high as 17%. The defeat of Governor Fortuño had less to do with a rejection of statehood, but more of a weariness of his rightwing Republican governing style, straight out of the Tea Party playbook. When he cut 20,000 government jobs upon entering office in 2009, he countered labor and student protests with such extreme police violence that it was investigated by the US department of justice. And Fortuño's use of propagandistic PAC-style advertisements rubbed a citizenry unaccustomed to such tactics the wrong way.The vote did display ample evidence that the people of Puerto Rico are no longer satisfied with the current commonwealth status, particularly since there has been a recession since 2006 and unemployment has reached as high as 17%. The defeat of Governor Fortuño had less to do with a rejection of statehood, but more of a weariness of his rightwing Republican governing style, straight out of the Tea Party playbook. When he cut 20,000 government jobs upon entering office in 2009, he countered labor and student protests with such extreme police violence that it was investigated by the US department of justice. And Fortuño's use of propagandistic PAC-style advertisements rubbed a citizenry unaccustomed to such tactics the wrong way.
Still, the new commonwealth government should remain aware that the people of Puerto Rico want change. Although they are US citizens, they don't have the right to vote for the president; they have no voting representation in Congress; and their access to entitlements is limited – in effect, their citizenship status is second-class at best.Still, the new commonwealth government should remain aware that the people of Puerto Rico want change. Although they are US citizens, they don't have the right to vote for the president; they have no voting representation in Congress; and their access to entitlements is limited – in effect, their citizenship status is second-class at best.
What form of change would be best for Puerto Ricans is unclear, but the time has come to push for an unfettered right of self-determination to enact it.What form of change would be best for Puerto Ricans is unclear, but the time has come to push for an unfettered right of self-determination to enact it.