News From of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico presses U.S. for inclusion as 51st state

The governor of Puerto Rico, Luis Fortuño, will hold a special meeting to press the adoption of the resolution which states that the U.S. Congress and President Barack Obama will honor the results of a recent referendum that would change the political status of the island.



Puerto Rico has agreed to become a U.S. state in a referendum held on November 6. For the decision to consolidate and Puerto Rico becomes more an American state, the U.S. Congress has yet to approve it. Fortuño noted that Congress and Obama promised to respect the results of the referendum.


Divided into two parts, the referendum questioned whether the island should change the 114-year relationship with the U.S.. Nearly 54% - or 922,374 people - have chosen to change the terms of the partnership, as 46% - or 786,749 people - opted to maintain the status quo.


The second question concerned the model of partnership with the U.S.. The option of accepting the sovereignty Yankee as another State was voted with 61% of the votes. The association of sovereign free, allowing greater autonomy, received 33% of the indications and independence, only 5%.