Independence and Regional Integration 9

Puerto Rico

There were also people in Puerto Rico who agitated against

the rule of the mother country. Liberals sought freedom from
Spanish rule, and sometimes ploned revolution from their
places of exile in Latin America or New York. In 1865, a
revolution against Spain began with the Grito de Lares (Dec-
laration at Lares) which called for independence and the
emancipation of slaves.
M. Rojas, a Venezuelan, and Matias Bregman, an exile
from New York, led the rebels who were quickly crushed by
the Spanish military forces . In spite of this defeat, the liberal
movement continued to grow among the Puerto Ricans in the
island and abroad. One group ofliberals, the autonornists who
did not want total independence, but were prepared to bargain
with Spain for self-government within the Spanish empire, got
a promise from the Liberal Party in Spain during the Cuban
War of Independence, that it would grant self-government to
Puerto Rico once it came to power. This promise was kept
after the Liberal Party .came to office in 1897. The Spanish
Parliament agreed to a new Puerto Rican constitution in
February 1898. Elections were held in March, and the new
Puerto Rican government was formed in July 1898.
The freedom from Spanish government restrictions, con-
Spain-out, The
ferred by the new constitution, was short-lived, as a few days
United States-in
later, an American expeditionary force was sent to Puerto
Rico, and the island was taken by August. The recent consti-
tutional gains were wiped out, and the island was made into a
protectorate of the United States.
In 1900, the United States passed the Foraker Act, which
gave Puerto Rico its first constitution under the United States.
This made the island an unincorporated territory of the
 10

. A new Act, the Jones Act of 19 I 7, which omy. (vi) The island had free access to the United States
Unued States. .
FO raker Act, made minor reforms to the Puerto markets. (vii) No federal income tax was paid unless the
replaced Th e . .
. . · n but the island remained an unincorporated money was earned in the United States. (viii) The island was
Rican consuruuo ,
within the United States' customs area, but customs duties
territory of the United States.
o pressure exerted by Munoz Marin, leader of paid were collected by the United States customs officials and
In rcspo nse l
the Puerto Rican government sjnce 1944 , the United States handed over to the commonwealth government. (ix) Federal
Marin 's
.d Harry Truman appoiPted a Puerto Rican,Jesus T funds were provided for services such as coast guard, postal
Contribution to Pres1 ent, ' ·
Pinero as governor of Puerto Rico, in 1946. The Jones Act services, customs, the national guard, the naturalization and
tho change In
was amended in t 94 7 to allow the Puerto Ricans to elect their diplomatic services. Puerto Rico also enjoyed some social
the form of
Go vernm ent uwn governor, and Marin was elected governor in 1948. In welfare benefits. (x) Puerto Ricans could withdraw from the
l 949, in response to Marin's persuasion, the United States new arrangement through a referendum.
Congress gave permission for the election of a 92 member There were some disadvantages associated with the new
constitutional convention to write a new constitution for the Disadvantages relationship. They include the following: (i) Although the
island . This new constitution was adopted in July 1952. of the new Puerto Ricans were American citizens, and they served in the
Puerto Rico was given the new status of Estado Libre
Relationship United States armed forces , they could not vote in federal
AwciaJo (Associated Free State) or a commonwealth. Under elections unless they were on the mainland at the time of the
Main features
elections. (ii) There were restrictions on the use of federal
o f 1952 the commonwealth form of government, Puerto Rico gained
funds disbursed in the island. (iii) The United States' control
Commonwealth internal self-government. There was: (i) an elected governor
of foreign affairs and defence did not always give the Puerto
form of for a four-year term, (ii) an elected two-house legislature made
Gove rnment Ricans an opportunity to make any meaningful contribution
up of a Senate of27 members, and a House of Representatives
to the policies governing these areas. (iv) Puerto Rico's mem-
of 51 members. (iii) The United States had the responsibility
bership status in the United States Congress and Senate was
for defence and foreign affairs.
incomplete. Although a resident commissioner was elected to
Under this new form of government Puerto Rico enjoyed
the United States Congress, he could speak, but he had no
B enefits of the following benefits: (i) The island was guaranteed protec-
vote there. (v) There was a heavy dependence on the United
Puerto Rico's tion by the United States, which was responsible for its
States capital and market, and the United States investors
Commonwea lth defence. (ii) Since the Puerto Ricans were American citizens,
statu s dominated the economy. (vi) The influence of the United
they could move to the United States and this could help to
States culture was so great in Puerto Rico that it tended to
reduce unemployment at home. (iii) There was greater pros-
suppress the Puerto Rican culture.
pect for better job opportunities and higher wages in the
These disadvantages made Puerto Ricans unhappy with
United States. This could contribute to greater foreign ex-,
their new status. However, there were other factors that
change inflows, as United States emigrants provided financial Reasons Puerto
contributed to their unhappiness, for example: (i) Farmers
support for relatives who remained in the island. (iv) Puerto Ricans were
unhappy with and business people continued to suffer because of the
Rico's foreign affairs were looked after by the United States,
their new status cheaper foodstuff and goods imported from the United States.
and so the island's government was saved the foreign affairs
These replaced the locally produced goods. (ii) A number of
expenditure. (v) Puerto Rico could attract United States
Puerto Ricans were still unemployed , while others worked in
capital investment, which would help to strengthen the econ-
 l2 Lesr You Forget

the "screw driver" industries established under Operation

Bootstrap, and which required cheap unskilled labour. (iii)
Poverty was rampant in the cities and towns . (iv) Some Puerto
Ricans felt that they were discriminated against by the United
States, and the island was treated as-a colony of the United
States. (v) The United States could sever its ties with Puerto
Rico at the convenience of the Alr · ricans. (vi) Some Puerto
Ricans wanted independence.
The majority of Puerto Ricans accepted the common-
R esponse of the wealth status in spite of the disadvantages, because they
Pu erto Ricans appreciated the benefits to be gained. They were unwilling to
to the common• adopt any political change that threatened the financial aid,
wea lth status
which went along with the political and economic connections
to the United States, and so no progress has been made in the
advancement to independence. Recession from the early
1970s resulted 'in high unemployment, a greater reliance on
the federal government, and made Puerto Ricans more appre-
ciative of the benefits, which their association with the United
States made possible. As a result, those who wanted complete
independence, and those who wanted Puerto Rico to become
a state of the United States, did not manage to accomplish
their aims.
In 1970, the resident commissioner was granted the right
Modifica tion s to vote in congressional comminees, and Puerto Rico was
since 1952
given equal treatment to other states by federal departments.
In 1973, revenue-sharing status was extended to Puerto Rico,
thus emphasizing the financial status of the island as a state.