Liberal Party of Puerto Rico - Founding of The Liberal Party

Founding of The Liberal Party

The Alianza (also called the Coalition) was a coalition between the pro-independence Union Party led by Antonio R. Barceló and the pro-statehood Republican Party of Puerto Rico led by José Tous Soto. Differences between Barceló and Tous Soto and Félix Córdova Dávila, the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico in Washington, as to the goals of the alliance became apparent. Barceló requested that Herbert Hoover, the newly elected President of the United States, retain Horace Mann Towner temporarily as governor of the island. Hoover, consulted Córdova Dávila instead of Barceló in regard to his intentions of naming Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. to the post. Córdova Dávila in turn notified Tous Soto, instead of Barceló, as to Hoover's decision.

Barceló was offended and convinced his followers, in the Unionist sector of the alliance, to disaffiliate themselves from the "Alliance." Because of legal reasons Barceló was unable to use the name "Union Party" and in 1932, founded the "Liberal Party of Puerto Rico." The Liberal Party's political agenda was the same as the original Union Party's agenda and urged independence as a political solution for Puerto Rico. Among those who joined him in the "new" party were Felisa Rincón de Gautier and Ernesto Ramos Antonini. By 1932, Luis Muñoz Rivera's son, Luis Muñoz Marín, had also joined the Liberal Party. During the elections of 1932, the Liberal Party faced the Alliance, then a coalition of the Republican Party of Puerto Rico and Santiago Iglesias' Socialist Party. Barceló and Muñoz Marín were both elected senators. The Liberals generally supported the policies of the New Deal and sought to translate the programs to Puerto Rico. It was the strongest single party between 1932 and 1940. It was prevented from taking a majority of seats by the Coalición.