The Great Debate of Statehood

To be or not to be.

That is the question for Puerto Rico in regards to the looming debate of statehood.

Should Puerto Rico become a state? Is it its own country? 

Puerto Rico is not a state nor a country. However, it is United States territory, leaving many citizens with dual identities. Are they Puerto Rican, American or both?

As a result of the Spanish-American war, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the U.S. after the Treaty of Paris was signed, concluding the war. Months prior, specifically on July 25, 1898, the U.S. military invaded and occupied Puerto Rico. It became a Commonwealth on July 25, 1952.

But in order to fully understand the depths of the issue, we would have to travel back hundreds of years before that and unpack the history of Puerto Rico’s development.

Early European Settlement

Way before Puerto Rico’s name was what it is, the island was known as Boriquén (Borinquén, or Boriken); meaning; “the great land of the valiant and noble Lord” or “land of the great lords,” by the first people to live on the island; a group of indgenious people called the Taino. In the late 15th century, the Taino inhabited the land; years before the Spanish arrived. Small clans emerged living in villages led by caciques, or chiefs. They endured by growing domestic tropical crops, fishing and hunting. 

But little did the Tainos know, everything would change on November 19, 1493; when Christopher Columbus sailed ashore with 17 ships and about 1,500 men from Cádiz, Spain on his second voyage into the “New World,” and claimed the island for Spain; enslaving the Native Taino and dubbing it San Juan Bautista. He was aiming to acquire new land, convert the Natives to Christianity and continue exploration.  

However, the island wasn’t officially colonized until 1508 when Juan Ponce de León initiated the first European settlement and called it Caparra. Caparra was renamed Puerto Rico, or rich port in 1521 after Spaniards discovered the immense amount of gold lying in the rivers. Cappara was what we know today as San Juan. Over time, people started calling the entire island Puerto Rico and the settlement, Cappara, became the city of San Juan.

Puerto Rico was restricted from trading with other nations, leaving the native population without a way to set up a stable economy. 

The Taino population rapidly depleted by the later half of the 16th century due to infectious diseases carried by the European and Spanish settlers.  

And in came enslaved Africans.

The La Compañía Gaditana de Negros was made to initiate the influx of African slaves to the Carriabean. The expansion of sugar cane production, coffee and tobacco led to an economic boost for Puerto Rico. 

By the 17th century Puerto Rico had transformed into a major military outpost for Spain. Dutch, French and English all attempted to conquer the Island

Spanish-American War

April 21, 1898 marked the start of the notorious Spanish-American war. The origins can ultimately be boiled down to two causes: U.S.’ support for Cuba in it’s revolt against Spain and the ”unexplainable” February explosion of U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor.

More than that, the U.S. took notice of the Cuba and Spain fight for three years from 1895-1898 and saw instability. That opened the gates for America to make money and obtain land.

On April 11, 1898, President William McKinley wanted to end the fighting between Cuba and Spain by establishing a “stable government” that would “maintain order” and guarantee “peace and tranquility.” 

McKinley supposedly envisioned a place of harmony between Cuban and U.S. citizens. The U.S. Congress even passed a joint resolution recognizing Cuba as independent, but the caveat was that the Spanish government had to give up control of the island. 

The Spanish government declined the U.S.’ offer and that led to April 22, when McKinley implemented a military blockade of Cuba, sending over 100,000 soldiers and volunteers the next day. 

Spain declared war and the U.S. obliged on April 25. 

The U.S. saw Puerto Rico through the lens of profitability; especially for tropical agriculture and wanted a safe fueling station for their battleship.

On July 25, Gen. Nelson A. Miles led a group of about 3,500 men to invade and occupy Guánica. 

Treaty of Paris

Spain subsequently ceded the entire island to the U.S. after the Treaty of Paris was drawn and accepted in December 1898. Gen. John Brooke reigned as military governor.

The military administration was successful in governing the island. A public school system was created, finances got under control, highways were built and the island was successfully policed.

However, July 25, 1952 marked the day Puerto Rico’s constitution came in effect and the island was officially recognized as a U.S. Commonwealth, meaning the island has its own constitution but it’s still under America’s command. July 25th is honored as Constitution Day.

Fight for Statehood?

Puerto Rico receiving statehood is widely debated. Some support it and believe that becoming a state is the only way for Puerto Rico to “be taken seriously,” local resident Dolores Rosario told me. 

“Because you know like New York, they help you,” Rosario said. “So they can help us with a lot of things because I’m both; I’m Puerto Rican and American.”

On the other hand, many locals believe becoming the 51st state would spell disaster for the island. 

“I prefer our national identity,” local business owner Edrick Pagan said. “People used to support that thinking because they think that the government will bring people the best. But when you’re a businessman, you think if most people can think to develop our own ideas, creativity and business we don’t need that.”

“I consider myself American because of my U.S. citizenship,” he continued, “and we appreciate that because we fight your battles too. But we have our culture.”

Many Puerto Ricans feel that they are treated as “second-class citizens;” that political conservatives are attempting to block their voting rights. Some contend that Puerto Rico was never meant to be a state and that liberals are trying to add millions of more voters “to their side.”

President William McKinley signed the Folker Act in 1900 establishing Puerto Rico as an “unorganized territory” and former senator John C. Spooner (R-WI) thought the codification was misleading and gave “false promises.”

“I am not yet ready, nor are we called upon now,” Spooner said, “to give that quasi pledge of statehood, or to imply that they will ever reach a condition where it shall be either for their interests, or certainly for ours, to let them be one of the members of this Union.” 

Residents aren’t permitted to vote in federal elections; such as presidential and Congress elections, yet some are still forced to pay federal taxes.

They can also join the military but can’t vote for its commander-in-chief.

“We’re good to serve in the military to defend the honor of this country, but we’re not good enough to get the benefits?” El Conquistador Bilingual Newspaper publisher, Victor Huyke, said in an interview conducted by my classmate, Faith Rae. “That is pretty much a second-class citizen at its finest.”

Puerto Rico has held many status referendums throughout its history; in 1967, 1998, 2012, 2017 and 2020. A referendum is a general vote by the electorate on a particular political question, proposal or law.

1967

Voters were asked to choose between becoming a Commonwealth, statehood or independence. 

1998

Voters were asked to choose between statehood, independence, free association, Commonwealth or none.

2012

Voters were asked to choose between statehood, independence or a free association.

2017*

Voters were asked to choose between statehood, Commonwealth, independence or a free association.

The Popular Democratic Party (PPD) boycotted the referendum leading to substantially lower voter turnout.

2020

Voters were asked to choose yes or no to Puerto Rico becoming a state.

Date	Commonwealth	Statehood	Independence	Free  Association	None	Turnout
July 23, 1967	60.4 percent	39.0 percent	0.6 percent	N/A	N/A	66 percent
December 13, 1998	0.0 percent	46.6 percent	2.6 percent	0.3 percent	50.5	71 percent
November 6, 2012	N/A	61.16 percent	5.49 percent	33.34 percent	N/A	78.19 percent
June 11, 2017	1.35 percent	97.13 percent	1.52 percent	N/A	N/A	22.93 percent*

*Pro-status quo PPD party-led boycott affected turnout

November 3, 2020

Yes	No	Turnout
52.52 percent	47.48 percent	54.72 percent

Puerto Rican statehood has its pros and cons. If it were to become a state, it could be beneficial for millions of residents and enhance their lives by giving them a voice in governing their island. It would give them proper representation and a stronger economic position. They’d have all of the same rights as every other U.S. citizen. 

“Honestly, despite many of my disagreements with the U.S. government, I would prefer to have Puerto Rico as a state versus an independent nation,” Huyke said. “As a Commonwealth we’re limited to what we can do and how to do it, as an independent nation the island has been stripped of so many of its resources it will take decades for the island to rebalance itself economically. At this point I don’t see that being feasible.”

 On the flip side, becoming a state might cause Puerto Rico to gradually lose their identity, their culture. It could potentially cause Puerto Rico to lose its distinction. Statehood could also lead to a loss of tourism. The novelty of the island could wear off because it might not be looked at as exoitc of a location as it is perceived to be right now. 

Regardless of the pros and cons, of the majority of the people that I spoke to in Puerto Rico and according to the referendum votes, statehood is widely accepted and even desired by many who want the U.S. government to show they care about them as much as their current states. Its rebuffed by residents who prefer their island be independent of America.