The Popular Democratic Party, the "Commonwealth" party, was the creator of the existing status which had its origins as we know them today, in the Puerto Rico Constitution which went into effect on July 25, 1952. This Constitution was authorized by Law 600, which was approved by Congress on June 3, 1950. This new Constitution left unchanged all of the articles which regulated the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States under the Jones Act of 1917.
Our existing "Commonwealth" status is based in the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States and on American Citizenship. Commonwealth supporters have always been proud of the relationship with the United States and have treasured the citizenship of the greatest nation in the world. The preamble to the Constitution of Puerto Rico reads:
Through the years, the Popular Democratic Party has been a strong defender of our democratic system, the Puerto Rico-United States relationship and our American Citizenship. Their definition of Commonwealth submitted for the July 23, 1967 plebiscite stated in its article #2:
In the more recent plebiscite of November 1993, which was won by the Commonwealth supporters, the Popular Democratic Party submitted a Commonwealth definition that included the following definition under article #2:
More recently, particularly now as we move through congress for a process for self determination of a status for Puerto Rico, the Popular Democratic Party claims that with the creation of our Commonwealth in 1952 there is an "union" or "permanent agreement" between Puerto Rico and the United States that permanently guarantees citizenship and our current status. They claim that this "permanent union" cannot be changed or modified except by mutual agreement- and not unilaterally by either one.
The Popular Democratic Party has been a very strong supporter of the Puerto Rico-United States relationship and American Citizenship. Puerto Rico has been a territory of the United States since 1898 and its residents have been American Citizens since 1917. Through the years this bonding has continued to strengthen. The birth of the Commonwealth status in 1952 was a huge step that tied this relationship even stronger. The administration of the government of Puerto Rico works very similar to that of any other states, with a number of differences.
Our Commonwealth status in union with the United States , and under the early direction of past Gov. Luis Munoz Marin, allowed a number of local and federal tax incentive programs for economic development. Puerto Rico enjoyed a steady rate of growth reaching the highest per capita income in Latin America today.
Followers of the commonwealth status call themselves "populares" or "estadolibristas". They identify themselves by waving a white flag with a red "pava"(A figure of a man wearing a straw workers hat) figure, or by waving a Puerto Rican and American flags, as symbols of the relationship of Puerto Rico in union with the United States.John A. Regis Jr, July 1998
We invite the Popular Democratic Party to submit its own official opinionon the meaning of American Citizens in Puerto Rico and on the Puerto Rico-United States relationship for inclusion in this web page.
ADDITIONAL articles on commonwealth and/or PPD:
[ English Home | Spanish Version ]
[ American Citizenship | History of American Citizenship in P.R. ]
[ View of Congress, the Courts and the Federal Government ]
[ View of the Political Parties: PNP | PPD | PIP ]
[ American Citizenship in the process of Self Determination ]
[ Much has happened since July 25, 1898 | Notable Quotes ]
[ Suggested Links and Bibliography | Conclusions ]
This web page is maintained by John A. Regis Jr.
For more information please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org.
© Copyright 1998, Puerto Rico USA Citizenship Foundation.