Location| Climate| Population & Language| Economy
Puerto Rico's lone star flag symbolizes the island known as “The Shining Star of the Caribbean.” Interestingly, Puerto Rico's flag was literally “Made in the USA” – designed in New York City by Puerto Rican patriots in collaboration with their Cuban counterparts. In 1895, the exiled leaders of Spain's last two colonies in the Americas agreed that Puerto Rico's flag would use the same design as the Cuban flag, but with inverse colors.
As it turned out, the Puerto Rico flag's red, white and blue colors more closely match the schematic coloring of the national colors of the United States. Puerto Rico's flag also bear a striking resemblance to the flag of another former Spanish colony turned state of the Union – Texas – whose citizens may also rival Puerto Rico's in their display of fierce pride in the powerful symbolism of their own lone star flag.
However, in contradistinction to Cuba, the island of Puerto Rico itself in the 1890s was not the locus of any significant armed rebellion or clamor for independence from Spain. When the U.S. went to war in 1898 to put an end to four centuries of Spanish rule, U.S. forces in both Cuba and the Philippines joined the fight alongside native forces that were already well on their way to winning independence. That was not the case with respect to Puerto Rico
The Momentous Change of Sovereignty
Accompanied by some of the same New York-based Puerto Rican patriots who were involved in the design of the island's flag, on July 25, 1898 U.S. Army General Nelson Miles led the American expeditionary forces that landed in the coastal town of Guánica, Puerto Rico with the objective of defeating the Spanish military and ending Spanish sovereignty over the island. That day, General Miles made the following proclamation – and promise - to the people of Puerto Rico:
“We have not come to make war upon the people of a country that for centuries has been oppressed, but, on the contrary, to bring you protection…to promote your prosperity, and to bestow upon you the immunities and blessings of the liberal institutions of our Government.” “It is not our intention or purpose to interfere with any existing laws and customs that are wholesome and beneficial to your people,” Miles went on to declare, concluding that “this is not a war of devastation, but one to give to all within the control of its military and naval forces the advantages and blessings of enlightened civilization.”
The local leaders of the then recently-installed provincial government of Puerto Rico were quite impressed with Miles' statement, and showed themselves to be receptive to the intentions manifest therein to make Puerto Rico a part of the United States. The action and attitude of the leaders of the local government reflected the action and attitude of the vast majority of the people of Puerto Rico, who received the American troops, accompanied by the group of Puerto Rican scouts from the U.S. mainland, as liberators. Local postmasters immediately added to the address on insular mail the following inscription: Puerto Rico, U.S.A.
Spanish Colonial Background
To better understand the dynamic of the change of sovereignty that took place in Puerto Rico in 1898, it must be kept in mind that during 400 years of Spanish rule, the island's native Taíno Indian population was mostly wiped out and the island had been largely governed under military regimes that, with few exceptions, did not respect individual liberties. For over 400 years, Puerto Rico had known no tradition of freedom of expression, freedom of religion or freedom of the press.
The island's public school system was practically inexistent, and there were no public universities. Puerto Ricans were widely mistrusted and discriminated against by the Spanish, except during a few short-lived periods of more liberal regimes. Miserable conditions prevailed for the vast majority of the island's population. The poor lived without adequate housing and medical services, since there was virtually no public health infrastructure.
The United States, on the other hand, was justifiably viewed as the paladin of democracy and progress. The promise of a progressive, democratic future as part of the United States was received at face value. All the leading politicians on the island, in unison, solicited full U.S. citizenship and that Puerto Rico be incorporated as a territory of the United States, as the first immediate step on the way to admission as a state on an equal footing with the rest of the states of the Union.
One of Puerto Rico's most celebrated 19th century intellectuals, Eugenio María de Hostos, at the time exiled in Paris, though he did not expressly favor American statehood, declared that he was prepared to accept it, if it emerged as the choice of the people in a democratically organized plebiscite.
Painfully Slow Progress
However, to the dismay of Puerto Rico's leaders and the people in general, the nation was painfully slow in making good on Miles' promises. In fact, turning their back on the United States' own anti-colonial history and democratic traditions, the nation's leaders at the time imposed what they then understood to be a “benevolent” colonial administration, with unequal citizenship and unequal rights under the U.S. Constitution.
The McKinley Administration refused to accept de Hostos' proposal of a political status plebiscite. A military government was installed which would last nearly two years. In 1900, an act providing for a civil government was approved by the United States Congress. Once again to the dismay of the local political leadership and the people in general, the Foraker Act of 1900 failed to include U.S. citizenship, and severely limited the powers of the local legislature that it established.
The executive branch of the local government was led by a governor who would not be elected by the people, but rather appointed by the President of the United States. The people of Puerto Rico's representation in the United States Congress would be limited – as it continues to be limited up until the present day – to one single representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, and that representative, given the title of “Resident Commissioner”, would have a voice but no vote in the deliberations of the national government.
In view of the situation, the consensus for statehood among Puerto Rico's native political leadership gradually began to weaken. While the Puerto Rico Republican Party (affiliated with the Republican Party on the U.S. mainland), led by University of Michigan educated Dr. José Celso-Barbosa, maintained its pro-statehood platform, it lost the 1904 insular elections to the Puerto Rico Unionist Party, which initially included both statehood and independence as equally legitimate options for resolving the island's colonial, disenfranchised political status problem.
Decisive Development: U.S. Citizenship
In 1917, the U.S. Congress finally granted U.S. citizenship to the people of Puerto Rico, and all persons born on the island since then are born as U.S. citizens. The Jones Act of 1917, which granted U.S. citizenship, also expanded local self government by creating an elected upper legislative chamber, the Puerto Rico Senate.
For the island's pro-statehood movement, the hard fought concession of U.S. citizenship has been seen, ever since, as the key that would eventually guarantee statehood for the island, as soon as the people of Puerto Rico demanded equality in citizenship.
As former Puerto Rico House of Representatives Speaker Miguel Angel García- Méndez would subsequently declare, “For an American citizen, there cannot be another political goal other than equality with his or her fellow American citizens. To seek other solutions - to repudiate equality - is to repudiate the natural destiny of American citizenship.”
Over the years, Puerto Rico has had an uneven, but in broad terms increasing - level of political, economic and social integration with the rest of the United States. In 1947, the United States Congress finally passed legislation enabling the people of Puerto Rico to elect their own Governor for the first time ever, in 1948.
Local Constitution
In 1950, the United States Congress agreed to further extend self government in local matters by authorizing the drafting of a local Constitution. The new constitutional government of the island was given the name of "Commonwealth." However, the new governing arrangement did not change the fundamental territorial status of the island.
In the preamble to the Constitution of Puerto Rico, approved by both the United States Congress and by island voters in a 1952 referendum, the people of Puerto Rico declare that “We consider as determining factors in our life our citizenship of the United States of America and our aspiration to continually enrich our democratic heritage in the individual and collective enjoyment of its rights and privileges; our loyalty to the principles of the Federal Constitution; and the coexistence in Puerto Rico of the two great cultures of the American hemisphere.”
The Constitution of Puerto Rico is considered comparable to and compatible with U.S. state government constitutions. The ratification of the Constitution was the first popular vote ever directly related to the island's political status, and it effectively demonstrated to the world that Puerto Rico's relationship to the United States was democratically consented to by the people of Puerto Rico. As a result of that democratically expressed consent and the self government over local affairs provided by the new Constitution, in 1953 Puerto Rico was removed from the United Nations' list of non self-governing territories.
Political Status Plebiscites
In 1967, the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly authorized a local political status plebiscite which gauged popular support for the political status proposals of commonwealth – defined as an autonomous community permanently associated to the United States – statehood or independence. The results of the plebiscite were 60% for the commonwealth proposal , 39% for statehood and 1% for independence.
The “commonwealth” proposal led to a proposal for a “Compact of Permanent Union” between a Puerto Rico with greater autonomy and the United States, but the proposal was rejected by the Federal government in 1976.
In 1989, former Puerto Rico Governor Rafael Hernández-Colón led an effort in Washington aimed at getting the U.S. Congress to authorize a plebiscite to decide Puerto Rico’s future political status. In 1990, a bill was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives authorizing a referendum, but in 1991 the legislation died in a deadlocked Senate committee.
Due to the failure of the U.S. Congress to approve federally authorized plebiscite legislation, in 1993 Hernández-Colón’s successor in office, former Governor Pedro Rosselló, signed local legislation authorizing another locally-sponsored political status plebiscite. In what was subsequently considered a major error, the 1993 local plebiscite legislation allowed each political party in Puerto Rico to offer a political status definition on the ballot with no serious regard for what the United States was prepared to grant.
As a result and most disturbingly, commonwealth supporters presented an unrealistic definition of commonwealth which combined what both the United States Congress and 10 successive Republican and Democratic presidential administrations have for more than five decades rejected as incompatible elements of both statehood and independence, which they then proceeded to advertise to the electorate as “the best of both worlds.”
1993 Status Vote
Various observers pointed out that statehood would have a tough time winning a plebiscite in any of the 50 states, were the electorate of the states given such an option. Despite this situation, however, in the 1993 plebiscite support for commonwealth dropped from 60% to 48%, while support for statehood climbed from 39% to 46% and independence garnered 4%.
As a result of the 1993 plebiscite outcome, the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly approved a resolution asking the United States Congress to examine the results of the vote, and particularly the viability of the commonwealth definition that was presented to the electorate. Subsequently, Congressman Don Young (R-Alaska) was the chief sponsor of broadly bi-partisan legislation authorizing a congressionally-sponsored political status plebiscite on the island between clearly defined, viable options of statehood, independence, free association (a United Nations-recognized form of nationhood, in association with another nation) and continuation of territorial status.
Though the “Young Bill” won House passage by a one-vote margin (with more Democratic support than Republican support, in a then-Republican controlled Congress), it stalled in the United States Senate. In view of the situation, in 1998, on the 100th anniversary of the change of sovereignty, Governor Rosselló proceeded to introduce local plebiscite legislation with the same definitions included in the Young Bill. The legislation was approved by the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly, which also added a “none of the above” option to the ballot.
1998 Status Vote
Refusing to choose between the viable, non-colonial, U.N.-recognized status options – and refusing as well to choose continuation of the territorial status option – on this occasion pro-commonwealth leaders opted to encourage the electorate to choose the “none of the above” ballot option. The refusal to choose/none-of-the-above option garnered 50.3% of the vote, to statehood’s 46.5%, 2.5% for independence, .3% for free association and .1% for continued territory status.
Pro-commonwealth leaders won the governorship in 2000 and 2004, and worked to block both national and local legislative actions aimed at facilitating a democratic choice by the people of Puerto Rico between the internationally-recognized, non-territorial political status options, including legislation recommended by the President’s Task Force on Puerto Rico’s Status for a referendum between continuing the island’s current territory status and seeking a status other than territory, periodic referenda on the issue and, if seeking a status other than territory is sought, a referendum between statehood and nationhood options.
Governor Fortuño's and President Obama's Commitment
In November of 2008, then Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño won the governorship of Puerto Rico by the biggest margin in 44 years, on a platform which included his declaration that “Never before in the last 50 years has there been such a propitious time to discuss the status topic in Washington. All of us share the historic responsibility to take advantage of the present juncture in order to solve, once and for all, this problem that represents such an impediment to our potential for growth and economic and social development. We have to put the ball in Congress’ court – not for them to decide for us, but, on the contrary, for them to commit themselves to accepting the decision that we will make between options that are viable and acceptable to both.”
The Governor’s 2008 election platform further indicates that if Congress fails to provide, in a reasonable amount of time, for a democratic political status consultation of the people of Puerto Rico, the Government of Puerto Rico will once again propose a locally initiated, democratic political status consultation of the people of Puerto Rico.
In a message to the people of Puerto Rico read at the inauguration of Governor Fortuño on January 2, 2009, then President-elect Barack Obama pledged “to work with Congress and all groups in Puerto Rico to enable the question of Puerto Rico’s status to be resolved during the next four years.”
“I am fully aware of the difficulties Puerto Rico has faced in the past when dealing with this issue,” Obama declared. “But self determination is a basic right to be addressed no matter how difficult. Your right to self determination is deepened even further by the brave service that Puerto Ricans have provided to the nation’s armed forces, protecting all our people from foreign dangers throughout the past century. We will work to give a voice to the people of Puerto Rico to enable them to determine their political future,” Obama concluded.
Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009
On May 19, 2009, Congressman Pedro Pierluisi (D-PR), accompanied by more than 80 Democratic and Republican co-sponsors, filed the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009. By July 22, 2009, when the House Natural Resources Committee overwhelmingly approved the measurein a 30-8 vote, the bill had garnered the support of more than 160 Democrat and Republican co-sponsors.
The legislation authorizes the insular government to conduct a plebiscite in which the people of Puerto Rico will be asked whether they wish to maintain the island’s present form of political status or whether they wish to have a different political status.
If a majority of voters cast their ballots in favor of a different political status, the Government of Puerto Rico will then be authorized to conduct a second vote among three options:independence, statehood, and sovereignty in association with the United States.As Congressman Pierluisi stated upon introducing the legislation, “the bill does not exclude any status option, and it does not favor any status option. It enables the people of Puerto Rico to express their wishes regarding the Island’s political status in a series of democratic votes.”
At present, as a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico’s relationship with the U.S. Federal Government is, in many respects, similar to that of a state of the Union. The U.S. Constitution, as well as laws passed by Congress, are applicable in Puerto Rico. Residents of the island, however, do not vote for President or have equal voting representation in Congress. Puerto Rico is treated as a State in most federal laws but these are some exceptions. It receives less funding in some federal programs, primarily programs for the needy and in health care. Federal taxes have not been extended to local income.
Location
Puerto Rico occupies a central position in the Caribbean, approximately 1000 miles southeast of Miami. Puerto Rico is comprised of six main islands with a land area of 3,421 square miles, more than twice the size of the state of Rhode Island, roughly the same size as the state of Connecticut.
The main island, approximately 100 miles long and 35 miles wide, is divided into three main geographic regions: the mountainous interior, the northern plateau, and the coastal plains. The central mountain range, known as the Cordillera Central, rises to more than 3,000 feet, with the highest points at Cerro de Punta, 4,389 feet, and Monte Guilarte, 3,949 feet.
In the northeast region of the island, the Sierra de Luquillo includes the rain forest of El Yunque, the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. The whole area of 29,000 acres is included in the El Yunque National Forest, administered by the U.S. Forest Service, and is a major tourist attraction.
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Climate
Puerto Rico lays claim to the most pleasant, hospitable climate in the nation, with an average annual temperature of 82° F (28° C) with constant mild easterly trade winds. The U.S. National Weather Bureau has never recorded temperatures in San Juan below 64° F or higher than 97° F, 365 days a year, day or night.
Lying within the tropical zone, the island’s climate is greatly influenced by the sea and the warm North Equatorial Current. Throughout the island, temperatures very seldom fall below 60° F. The highest recorded monthly average is 89° F; the lowest, 66° F. Hurricane season is June l through November 1.
Population and Language
According to 2008 U.S. Census figures, Puerto Rico has a population of 3.9 million. Additionally, an estimated 4 million Puerto Ricans and people of Puerto Rican origin live in the 50 states, with concentrations in New York and Florida that top 1 million and 500,000, respectively. Altogether, Puerto Ricans comprise the second largest population group of Hispanic origin within the United States.
Spanish, naturally, is the primary language spoken on the island. In 1901, both Spanish and English were designated as official languages, and it is estimated that the island has the highest proportion of bilingual citizens in the United States – as well as all of Latin America. English is an integral part of the K-12 public school curriculum, and the level of bilingualism continues to grow throughout the island.
As President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in 1937, “Clearly there is no desire or purpose to diminish the enjoyment or usefulness of the rich Spanish cultural legacy of the people of Puerto Rico. What is necessary, however, is that the American citizens of Puerto Rico should profit from their unique geographical situation and the unique historical circumstance which has brought to them the blessings of American citizenship by becoming bilingual.”
Economy
Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean but , like the national and global economy, it has been in a local recession that preceded the national recession by three years. Manufacturing industry has surpassed agriculture as the primary sector of economic activity and income. Manufacturing by U.S. mainland-based companies is an important component of the economy. Within the manufacturing sector, important industries include pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, petrochemicals, and processed foods.
Puerto Rico is also globally acclaimed for the quality of its coffee and rum. However, sugar production has lost out to dairy production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the agricultural sector. Tourism is also an important source of income for the island.
