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Why is Puerto Rico not yet a US state? Discover the complex relationship and strategic importance of this territory to the US for more than a century.
Puerto Rico, the Caribbean island nation with a GDP of $117 billion, is famously known for its paradisiacal landscapes, vibrant Latin culture, and complex political position as an unincorporated territory of the United States for over a century. Learn why Puerto Rico is not a U.S. state and how the Latin American country works.
Understand the history of Puerto Rico
To understand Puerto Rico's current status, it is essential to explore the related historical and political factors that may explain why Puerto Rico is not a U.S. state.
It is necessary to go back to 1508, when the Spanish colonization of Puerto Rico began, establishing a government on the island and naming it San Juan Bautista. As in other Caribbean colonies such as Cuba and Haiti, the colonizers implemented the ordering system, dividing land for agricultural production and gold extraction.
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The native Taíno, the indigenous population of the Island, were forced to work in brutal conditions, being decimated by the working conditions and diseases brought by the Europeans such as smallpox, which led to the extinction of up to 90% of this population in less than three decades.
From the mid-16th century onwards, with increasing threats from other European empires, Spain recognized the strategic importance of Puerto Rico as a defense point and trade route in the Caribbean.
Military forts were built to protect the island from threats from Dutch, French and British invaders, making Puerto Rico a crucial point for Spanish shipping routes between the Americas and Europe. In 1887, local movements pushed for reforms, culminating in the creation of a local parliament, but independence was never achieved by the island, as the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898.
Understand the importance of Puerto Rico to the USA
A direct war between Spain and the United States occurred in April 1898, forcing a Spanish surrender within 8 months of conflict, and also marking the end of the 400-year-old Spanish Empire in the Caribbean, after Spain ceded territories such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the Americans. However, while regions such as Cuba gained independence after the Spanish defeat, Puerto Rico became a US territory.
The American presence in the region initially reflected an expansionist strategy, motivated by military and economic interests. The island's location in the Caribbean was crucial for the United States, offering a strategic point to control trade routes and maintain a position of strength close to the Panama Canal, whose construction was completed in 1914.
Possession of Puerto Rico offered the United States protection from European influences in the Caribbean, as well as establishing an outpost that helped protect growing American trade routes in Latin America and between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Why is Puerto Rico not a US state?
This raises the question of why Puerto Rico is not a US state. First, it is worth mentioning that Puerto Rican administration remained centralized, with Washington controlling the laws and government of the Island until the establishment of a new administration in the early 20th century, with the creation of the Foraker LawIn 1900.
This allowed the establishment of a civil government in Puerto Rico, where governance was partially autonomous, but with strong American influence. The country has limited autonomy, has little influence over the United States and suffers a lot of prejudice from Americans. These problems have created the dilemma of political division and are one of the reasons why Puerto Rico is not an American state, with the Puerto Rican population itself divided regarding the possibility of becoming a state.
Puerto Rico is not a US state because, although it has been a US territory since 1898, it has a different political status. This is one unincorporated territory, which means it belongs to the United States, but is not an integral part of the country as a state. This status is governed by the US Constitution and decisions of Congress, which has authority over the territories.
Puerto Ricans have held U.S. citizenship since 1917, but they do not have the same political rights as citizens in the states. For example, they cannot vote in presidential elections, and their representative in Congress does not have the right to vote. This is because the territory is not considered a full state, which limits their political participation.
The issue of statehood has been debated for decades. Many Puerto Ricans advocate statehood to gain equal rights, while others prefer to maintain their current status or seek independence. Decisions about Puerto Rico’s political future depend on both the will of the local people and the U.S. Congress, which would have to approve any change. To date, there has not been enough consensus to make Puerto Rico an official state.
In 2020, for example, a referendum on the status of Puerto Rico was held where 52% voted in favor of becoming a US state.
However, since the power to grant statehood lies with the United States Congress, the territory was not integrated, because although both parties support Puerto Rico's self-determination, there is a fear, especially on the Republican side, that including Puerto Rico as a state would alter the balance of power in the US Congress, increasing the representation of Hispanic and Latino voices.
