Rep. Delia Ramirez remembered the anniversary of Hurricane Maria with a post on X that said, “we affirm our love for our Puerto Rican neighbors and our commitment to a healthy, thriving, sovereign Puerto Rico.” Sovereignty for Puerto Rico is possible through either of the nonterritorial options for a permanent political status for the Island: nationhood or statehood. What’s the difference?
The United States is a federation of sovereign states, each of which has its own individual powers but has banded together with the other states for mutual economic, defense, and other types of support. The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and is considered the winner when national law conflicts with state law (as is currently the case with many states’ laws on marijuana, for example). The federal executive branch, including the president, has some powers over all the states, and the judicial and legislative branches of the government require cooperation among the states.
A sovereign nation has independence from all other countries and can make its own decisions. It does not have power over other nations and cannot count on support or cooperation from any other country. Nations make treaties and may band together in international organizations like the United Nations or the Commonwealth of Nations, but generally no independent country is under the rule of any other.
What can a nation do that a state cannot?
A nation can have and use its own military. A state cannot have a separate army, navy, or Air Force and cannot declare war on any other state or on any country.
A country can make treaties with other nations, ratify international treaties, and make alliances with other countries. A state cannot do so.
An independent nation can mint its own money, though there are independent nations that use the U.S. dollar for currency.
A nation can impose tariffs. Both states and nations can impose taxes, but one state cannot set tariffs either on other states or on other countries.
Countries control their own laws on immigration and citizenship, which states cannot do. However, countries have no influence on other nation’s laws on citizenship and immigration. This is why an independent Puerto Rico could not count on U.S. citizenship or even free travel in the United States.
In general, countries can field teams in the Olympics and states cannot, but these decisions are made by the International Olympics Committee and there are exceptions — including Puerto Rico, which is not an independent country but has an Olympics team. The U.S. could at any time do as nations like China and France have done in the past, and object to the Puerto Rico Olympics team, but has never done so.
What can a state do that a country cannot?
People born in a state always have U.S. citizenship by birthright. Other nations cannot provide U.S. citizenship, though the United States selectively allows dual citizenship for individuals from other countries. The U.S. does not, and the federal government has repeatedly said that it will not, provide U.S. citizenship across the board for citizens of another country.
States have representation in Congress, in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Other nations may have ambassadors and other kinds of diplomatic relationships, but have no voice in U.S. government.
One state can sue another, or the federal government for that matter, in the U.S. federal courts. Foreign countries cannot do this.
States can make agreements (similar to treaties) with other states, but not with nations. States also have interstate commerce protections which foreign countries do not have. Puerto Rico, for example, could expect to lose current trade arrangements with all the states if it became independent, but could then work to negotiate a new trade deal with the United States.
States share sovereignty over all U.S. citizens. While laws differ from one state to another, each state can make laws and legal agreements affecting other states. For example, if a child from one state is adopted by a couple in another state, there is a uniform code both states will use to cooperate on that adoption. Foreign countries can work together towards shared goals, but cannot make the same type of agreements.
States are part of the United States. A new Republic of Puerto Rico could not consider itself part of the United States.
Comparing the two options
While independence is not a popular choice in Puerto Rico, it is a viable status option under the U.S. Constitution. Independence would allow Puerto Rico to have its own currency, its own military, and its own tariffs. It could make treaties with other countries, including the United States.
A sovereign nation of Puerto Rico could not expect to have U.S. citizenship, U.S. defense protection (unless relinquishing all sovereignty over its national security through a Compact of Free Association), access to Congress or the federal courts, or any influence over U.S. law. It could not expect to maintain any of the current privileges of membership in the U.S. family which currently make Puerto Rico the strongest economy in the Caribbean.
