Pro-Independence

The topic of Puerto Rico’s independence has been and still remains to be a highly debated and controversial subject amongst Puerto Ricans as well as Americans.  The majority of Puerto Rican citizens who are currently in favor of independence belong to either the PIP (Puerto Rican Independence Party) or the PSP (Puerto Rican Socialist Party).  However, Puerto Rican independence groups were formed as early as 1922 when the Nationalist Association of Puerto Rico, the Nationalist Youth, and the Independence Association joined forces to form the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party or PNP on September 17, 1922.  After some time, in 1930, Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos became the president of the PNP. 

Members of the Nationalist Party witnessed much violence over the course of their involvement.  One of the most dramatic occurrences was the Ponce Massacre on March 21, 1937.  This march was organized by the PNP to promote Puerto Rico’s independence from the United States.  Unfortunately, the outcome was less than successful as it turned into a scene of commotion in which 17 citizens and 2 policemen were killed.  Even more disappointing were the arrests of various PNP members that day, including the arrest of leader Albizu Campos.  1950 proved to be another year of such violence, and can be marked as a time of Nationalist uprising.  The discussion of Commonwealth status for Puerto Rico had begun, and members of the PNP were extremely unhappy.  They took matters into their own hands by attempting to attack the governor at the time, Luis Muñoz Marín, followed by an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate President Truman.
In addition to the PNP, there were several other political groups and efforts that fought and still fight for the independence of Puerto Rico from the United States.  The FALN, or Armed Forces of National Liberation, advocated complete independence for Puerto Rico through terrorist actions beginning in the 1970s.  This organization was considered by many to be a terrorist group as they launched over 100 bombs at the United States during their active existence.  The Young Lords Organization, another Puerto Rican nationalist group, included members inhabiting several cities across the United States.  This group, established in the 1960s, was less about violence and more about promoting awareness in communities about racial and ethnic inequalities.  They were interested in educating the public, creating health programs for the poor, and collaborating with other groups such as the Crusade for Justice, the Brown Berets, and the Black Panthers.

A majority of independentistas today seek to achieve independence through either the electoral or the diplomatic process.  Gilberto Concepcion de Gracia founded the Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP, the most influential organization participating in the electoral process.  The party has successfully elected some legislative candidates, but has never won more than a few percentage points of the vote in referendums about the political status of Puerto Rico.  This group tries to present the pros of Puerto Rico becoming an independent entity for both Puerto Rico and the United States.  Thus far they have made little progress in transforming Puerto Rico into an independent state of its own, but the PIP’s previous efforts are just a preview of their future endeavors.

Many fight for the independence of Puerto Rico for the benefits Puerto Rico would gain.  However, another crucial aspect is that some want Puerto Rico to be independent from the United States simply because they notice the many disadvantages of establishing statehood, and are discontent with the current situation.  Such disadvantages include language barriers, changes in the structure of the government, and variations in citizens’ financial responsibilities.

First and foremost, "English is the language of our Declaration of Independence and our United States Constitution. It would be divisive and troublesome to admit a state whose people don't speak the language of our founding documents." 7 This would not be an issue if Puerto Ricans were eager to assimilate to American culture in regards to learning to speak, read and write the English language; however, “Puerto Ricans don't speak English, don't intend to learn it, and are even antagonistic to the whole idea of learning English." ri.essortment.com/puertoricansta_rdla.htm.  How can a group of people live under U.S. law if they do not understand the law itself?  This simple language barrier presents more issues in terms of adequate schooling for children, success in the workplace.  If Puerto Rico became a state, it could end up being completely isolated from the rest of the country merely because of the usage of different languages.

The issue of differing first languages also creates financial problems for the country.  “As a state, Puerto Rico could make Spanish its only official language (as it did in 1990) and require the rest of the United States to adapt to them. That could cost $2-3 billion each year in language translation costs alone based on the costs Quebec imposes on Canada.” 8 That is a significant investment that neither the U.S. government nor current U.S. citizens are prepared or willing to expend.  Furthermore, "Puerto Rican statehood would cost the rest of us plenty in taxes. The average income of Puerto Ricans is less than half that of our poorest state, and infrastructure and the environment are far below American standards, so statehood would bring immediate demands for massive federal funding." 9  From these statements alone, establishing statehood of Puerto Rico would inconvenience the people already living in the United States because they would be obligated to spend more money in taxes.  If Puerto Rico was a state, the structure of the government would have to be adjusted.  “The House is limited to 435 Members, so a state of Puerto Rico would cost at least six states one Congressman each.” 8  This would not render many people happy: citizens, Congressmen, and government officials alike.