By: Daniel Nardini
In the last presidential election, Puerto Ricans voted for Puerto Rico to become a U.S. state. The vote for the referendum to make Puerto Rico a state passed by 54 percent. The vote for Puerto Rican statehood was the brainchild of Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuno. For his entire term in office, Fortuno has been trying to encourage Puerto Ricans to want statehood. He talked about the benefits of statehood—direct voting rights for Puerto Ricans in all U.S. elections (including presidential elections), having full U.S. house representative rights and a senator in the Congress, and being able to receive direct federal aid just like all state governments do.
But before the 51st star is sown on to the American flag, Puerto Rico might not yet become a state. First, there is opposition to Puerto Rico becoming a state in the U.S. Congress. In order for Puerto Rico to become a state, its status must be ratified by the Congress. Many Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are not too thrilled about having a largely “Spanish speaking state.” But the biggest reason why there may not be a State of Puerto Rico is because Governor Luis Fortuno, the architect of the statehood vote, was voted out of office in favor of Alejandro Garcia Padilla. Garcia, unlike Fortuno, is against statehood for Puerto Rico. As the new governor of Puerto Rico, he has stated that he will convene a new commission in 2014 on putting through a referendum on whether Puerto Rico should be a state or return to its Commonwealth status.
So there we have it. Puerto Rico voted to become a state, but the majority of Puerto Ricans may now be changing their minds. The U.S. Congress will not touch the issue until the Puerto Rican people make a decision, and U.S. President Barack Obama stated that he will “respect” the will of the Puerto Rican people. Ever since Puerto Rico was taken over by the United States in 1899, its status has been a continual question—not least among its people. That question is far from over.
Puerto Rican Plot Twist
By: Daniel Nardini
But before the 51st star is sown on to the American flag, Puerto Rico might not yet become a state. First, there is opposition to Puerto Rico becoming a state in the U.S. Congress. In order for Puerto Rico to become a state, its status must be ratified by the Congress. Many Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are not too thrilled about having a largely “Spanish speaking state.” But the biggest reason why there may not be a State of Puerto Rico is because Governor Luis Fortuno, the architect of the statehood vote, was voted out of office in favor of Alejandro Garcia Padilla. Garcia, unlike Fortuno, is against statehood for Puerto Rico. As the new governor of Puerto Rico, he has stated that he will convene a new commission in 2014 on putting through a referendum on whether Puerto Rico should be a state or return to its Commonwealth status.
So there we have it. Puerto Rico voted to become a state, but the majority of Puerto Ricans may now be changing their minds. The U.S. Congress will not touch the issue until the Puerto Rican people make a decision, and U.S. President Barack Obama stated that he will “respect” the will of the Puerto Rican people. Ever since Puerto Rico was taken over by the United States in 1899, its status has been a continual question—not least among its people. That question is far from over.