What is Puerto Rico?
Last week, President Clinton freed 12 jailed members of
FALN, a group that fought for Puerto Rican independence (sometimes with bombs)
from the United States. What, exactly, is Puerto Rico's relationship to the
U.S.? And what alternatives have been proposed?
The U.S. took possession of Puerto Rico in 1898 as part
of its spoils from the Spanish-American War. Congress governed the Caribbean
island directly as a territory until 1952, when it expanded Puerto Rican
autonomy by making it a "commonwealth," allowing it to adopt a constitution and
create a locally elected government with statelike powers. (Click here for a map of Puerto Rico.)
As a commonwealth , Puerto
Rico is subject to all federal laws, and the U.S. Congress reserves the right
to repeal any locally enacted legislation. Congress granted Puerto Ricans
statutory U.S. citizenship in 1917, which can be
revoked, as opposed to constitutional citizenship,
which is almost impossible to cancel. Puerto Ricans residing in Puerto Rico
cannot vote for president, and the delegate they elect to Congress has no vote.
Puerto Rico residents are also exempt from federal income tax but qualify for
federal entitlements. And all 18-year-old Puerto Rican males must register for
the draft, just like U.S. residents.
Puerto Ricans are free to move to the U.S. where their
rights of citizenship become constitutional, affording them the right to vote
in all elections. Currently, 2 million Puerto Ricans live in the United States
and 4 million live in Puerto Rico.
Commonwealth was designed as a temporary fix, but
periodic plebiscites have not resolved what relationship the island's residents
want with the U.S. In 1993 and 1998, support was evenly divided between
commonwealth status and pursuit of statehood. In both plebiscites, independence
got less than 5 percent of the vote. Washington is not likely to formalize
Puerto Rico's status until a clearer consensus emerges.
Puerto Rico has benefited economically from being a
commonwealth. After World War II, America poured millions of dollars into
Puerto Rican development, transforming it from one of the Caribbean's poorest
territories to one of the wealthiest. The island still receives $10 billion in
assistance (including entitlements) each year. American companies investing in
Puerto Rico have long been exempted from income tax, making the island a
manufacturing and pharmaceutical center. Congress has begun to phase out the
tax exemption, reducing the attractiveness of investment there. If Puerto
Rico's commonwealth status becomes more permanent, advocates say that
citizenship and economic assistance will, as well. But there is some debate as
to whether such guarantees are constitutionally possible.
Statehood advocates desire
the benefits of constitutional citizenship, the federal safety net, and the
economic stability that will likely follow. Puerto Rican critics of statehood
oppose the island's continued dependence on the U.S. and worry that it might
eliminate Puerto Rico's Latin culture. (Indeed, some members of Congress have
proposed adoption of English as the official language as a prerequisite for
statehood.) American critics oppose statehood on fiscal grounds. As a state,
Puerto Rico's per capita income would be half that of Mississippi, currently
the poorest state. In 1995, the General Accounting Office estimated statehood
would cost the U.S. Treasury another $3 billion in annual benefits.
Supporters of Puerto Rican independence advocate continued ties to the U.S., including a free
trade pact, a common currency, and joint citizenship. Some also suggest that
the U.S. would continue to be responsible for the country's defense. But
independence critics dismiss it as unworkable, saying Puerto Rico lacks the
infrastructure and natural resources to compete effectively.
Next question?
