A few years ago, the Supreme Court confirmed that Puerto Rico, as an unincorporated territory of the United States, does not have sovereignty. A popular hope at that time – for a special “enhanced commonwealth” that would somehow have the sovereignty of a state without any of the responsibilities of statehood – was dashed. Discussions on the political status of Puerto Rico largely turned from “statehood or commonwealth” to “sovereignty or status quo.”
Who wants “commonwealth”?
There are an increasingly small number of people in Puerto Rico who do cling to the notion of a Puerto Rican “commonwealth.” In October, Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández, published a piece in the Wall Street Journal titled “Puerto Rico’s Democrats Like Their Commonwealth Status,” in which he explained that although stateside party leaders dream of statehood, taxes and culture made the status quo preferable. The Resident Commissioner justified this position by claiming that the imposition of federal taxes would be too much of a burden on the people of Puerto Rico given already high local rates, and that Puerto Ricans view themselves as “a distinct nationality” despite being “proud American citizens.”
The Resident Commissioner argued that independence would not be a worthy goal to pursue because “Puerto Ricans value their U.S. citizenship, close ties with the mainland, serving in the armed forces and contributing to the American economy.” The people of Puerto Rico do not want independence.
He suggested instead “proposals to broaden the island’s autonomy under the commonwealth,” such as a 1989 Enhanced Commonwealth formula. This proposal and many other related plans have been soundly rejected by Congress based on constitutional, policy and practical grounds. Such initiatives have been labeled by Members of Congress and Executive Branch officials from across the political spectrum as “unrealistic,” “deceptive,” “unacceptable,” and an “unattainable myth.”
Hernández recognized the long history of statehood wins in local referenda votes, but discounted those votes because the current territorial status, sometimes called “commonwealth,” was not on the ballot. The exclusion of “commonwealth” as an option in the most recent votes on Puerto Rico’s status was based on its rejection by leaders such as retiring Puerto Rico-born stalwart Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), a former supporter who more recently described territory status as incompatible with full political equality and long‑term development, saying that it should be replaced rather than “improved.”
Puerto Rican sovereignty
Aside from the current territorial status, which was rejected in the 2012 and 2017 plebiscites, the other possible options are all forms of sovereignty. Statehood, independence, and free association would offer sovereignty to Puerto Rico.
States of the United States each have separate sovereignty, as well as a federated union under the U.S. government. Independent nations have sovereignty, though a Compact of Free Association with the United States has always involved giving up some sovereignty in exchange for national security protections and financial support.
Non-territorial relationships between the United States and Puerto Rico do not actually include the “enhanced commonwealth” option, as it has been explicitly rejected by all three branches of the federal government, and Puerto Rico voters have made clear that they do not want to continue as a territory. Sovereignty is the only solution to bring democracy to Puerto Rico, either as a state or as a nation.
