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The Government
Puerto Rico is a Free Commonwealth. It has three government branches, executive, legislative, and judicial. As part of the United States, the US President is also president in Puerto Rico. The executive branch is directed by the Puerto Rican Governor who is popularly elected ever four years. The governor now is Síla María Calderón. Puerto Rico also has representation in the United States Senate.
The Governer of Puerto Rico Sila Calderón
She was elected in 2000 (soyunica.gov)
The History of the Politics and the Political Parties
After the United States entered the island, there were many Puerto Ricans that wanted independence. In 1899 Jose Barbosa, decided to create a party that worked for independence. This party was named the Puerto Rican Republican Party. In 1904 Luis Rivera and Jose Diego created the Unionist Party that was against "Foraker Act" and also worked for independence. In 1912, Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, Pedro Franceschi and Luis Llorens Torres started the Independence Party. Other parties that began during this century were the Nationalist Party, the Popular Democratic Party, the Party for Puerto Rican Independence, the new Progressive Party and the Puerto Rican Socialist Party. All of these new parties wanted a change in the political status of Puerto Rico and although some of these groups still exist today,there are many different opinions among Puerto Ricans regarding the status of the island.
| Puerto Ricans protest against the island's status |
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| www.wnbc.org |
In 1952, Governor Luis Marin declared Puerto Rico a Commonwealth. The Puerto Rican flag was raised for the first time and the national hymn was played. July 25, Puerto Ricans celebtrate their Constitution. This is also a day when there are many protests in favor of independence.
When there are opportunities to vote for a new Puerto Rican status, there are many different opinions. Some want to remain a Commonwealth of the United States. Others want independence and others want to become an official state of the United States.
The results of the 1998 Elections:
Voting percentage: 73%
Statehood- 46.9%
Commonwealth- 0.06%
Independence- 2.54%
None of the above- 50.3%
Las Elecciones/The Elections (de 2004) |
