Don’t pretend statehood for Puerto Rico is the only choice. It’s not. Let all voices be heard | Opinion
Is there a mandate to grant statehood to Puerto Rico?
The short answer is, No.
Yes, the people of Puerto Rico voted 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent in favor of statehood in a referendum held on Election Day. But that was a referendum rejected by the U.S. Department of Justice, four of the five political parties in Puerto Rico and several members of Congress from both sides of the aisle.
Would Democrats be happy with an election that only had Donald Trump on the ballot? Would the GOP be happy if they could only vote for Joe Biden? Of course not, that would be unthinkable and unfair. Yet that is exactly how the statehood referendum was conducted in Puerto Rico. This sham process underscores deep divisions among Puerto Ricans about our future relationship with the United States. Consider:
The pro-statehood candidate for governor won with only 33 percent of the votes, while the other 67 percent voted for a candidate who did not promote making Puerto Rico the 51st state.
On Election Day, Puerto Ricans elected new anti-statehood majorities in both the Puerto Rico House of Representatives and the Senate. The majority of mayors elected in Puerto Rico also oppose statehood.
The referendum was held even after the U.S. Department of Justice formally rejected funding for the vote and ruled that it did not comply with the Constitution, federal law or standing public policy.
Only the pro-statehood movement was actively campaigning and spending money for a Yes vote. That means it was basically a one-sided campaign with only the statehood option on the ballot, excluding pro-independence, pro-Commonwealth, and pro-free association voters from the ballot.
Clearly, Puerto Ricans remain deeply divided on this issue and attempts to move forward with a petition to make Puerto Rico the 51st state will cause greater division. In addition, the process itself failed to meet standards identified by the federal government through administrations past and present.
In 2020, I was a candidate for Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico in the U.S. Congress. As part of my campaign, Hart Research conducted a poll from July 20 to Aug. 9. The results were extremely accurate (including the prediction I would lose) and included relevant questions related to the statehood referendum.
The Hart Research poll had annexation winning by a close margin, 48 percent to 45 percent, in early August, which was almost exactly the final outcome in November. Interestingly, 54 percent of those polled thought the referendum was not a serious proposal, even though they were willing to participate.
But the most significant data coming out of that poll was when the real status questions were asked. In Puerto Rico, the issue about our relationship with the United States — the debate over “status,” as we call it — is not only regarding “statehood” (it is really annexation). There is agreement that there are other options, such as the current Commonwealth with reforms, some form of free association with the United States and Independence. One of the complaints of the local political parties was that those of us who believe in those other options were not afforded — some might say silenced from — real participation in the referendum.
The Hart Research poll asked that question. When all the options are given, support for annexation — or statehood — goes down to 41 percent; commonwealth gets 38 percent, free association gets 8 percent; and Independence 6 percent — with 7 percent undecided.
When all viable options are included, the majority always rejects statehood. So why did statehood eventually get 52 percent in November? The Hart Research poll also gives us some explanation. When only given the Yes or No to statehood option, 15 percent of those who voted Yes really support one of the other options not given to them (especially commonwealth). Having been deprived of their alternative, they voted for statehood. It’s clear that it was only the lack of options and not that they really want statehood.
The election results and all the data we have clearly shows that 67 percent of the voters supported gubernatorial and legislative candidates not supporting annexation. There is no mandate from the people of Puerto Rico for Congress to absorb a country as a U.S. state.
We are united in the diversity of political thought and community engagement to better the quality of life for the people of Puerto Rico. The only division is the one the statehood supporters artificially created in the skewed referendum designed to confuse U.S. Congress and disenfranchise Puerto Ricans.
The only way to move forward is through a real and inclusive process of self-determination with the participation of the U.S. Congress. Last year, U.S. Reps. Nydia Velázquez and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced the Puerto Rico Self Determination Act (H.R. 8113). It would recognize the inherent authority that Puerto Rico has to call for a democratically elected Status Assembly, where all options would be on the table. In addition, it would set up a Congressional bilateral commission to negotiate with the assembly and enable a solution to our colonial problem.
The Act offers a path forward. It is the most viable alternative right now.
Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá was governor of Puerto Rico from 2005-2009 and served as the island’s resident commissioner in Congress from 2001-2005.
