Puerto Rico Democracy Act - Background

Background

Puerto Rico is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands. It was ceded to the United States as part of the Treaty of Paris during the Spanish-American War. In 1952, the U.S. Congress ratified the Constitution of Puerto Rico, proclaiming Puerto Rico as an insular commonwealth. However, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has territorial status subject to United States congressional authority under the Territorial Clause of the U.S. Constitution, “to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory belonging to the United States." This has been subject of ongoing debate in Puerto Rico, the United States, and the United Nations.

Three plebiscites have been held in recent decades to resolve the political status but no changes have been attained. Support for inclusion to the United States as a US state and the desire to retain its current political status (status quo) remains about equal. Support for independence usually receives 3–5% of the electoral votes.