For Puerto Ricans who care deeply about their country's return to the path of self-reliance and sustainable growth, the current relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States is not only an obstacle to progress but also a hindrance to the well-being of American taxpayers. This relationship impedes the United States from having an executive that can effectively protect the republic’s interests.

Starting in the late 1960s, the Johnson administration played a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for the decolonization of territories such as Palau and Micronesia. This initiative was later intensified during the Carter administration, with subsequent U.S. presidents following suit. These steps, viewed by many as the right thing to do, created the blueprint for the establishment of relationships of Free Association between the United States and other nations.

However, in the 21st century, the primary barrier to a meaningful discussion about resolving Puerto Rico’s colonial status is the statehood movement. While the GOP has firmly rejected statehood, this option has been losing support both in Puerto Rico and among its diaspora. Since 1998, the idea of Free Association has gained traction, alongside growing support for independence.

The Puerto Rican question is not simply an electoral issue; it is a national question about self-determination, for both Puerto Rico and the United States. It forces us to ask: What kind of nation do we aspire to be? To open this conversation, we must address several myths surrounding statehood, which have been repeated in Congress recently:

1) Puerto Ricans don’t support becoming sovereign: FALSE

Free Association, seen by many as a natural progression from the Puerto Rican Commonwealth, has garnered more support over time than statehood. In the 1998 status plebiscite, Free Association received 4,536 votes, but in the 2024 status plebiscite, it received 313,259 votes. Independence also gained substantial support, with 11.82% of the vote, equating to 125,171 ballots cast. On the other hand, statehood received 728,157 votes in 1998 and only 620,782 votes in 2024. This decline indicates a clear trend. The recent plebiscite reveals that 43% of voters support either Free Association or independence.

Together with the 181,200 blank ballots, statehood was left with only 49% of support. This shows a 20-year trend, with cultural movements and global recognition of Puerto Rican identity fueling a resurgence of support for sovereignty. It is now incumbent upon Congress and the U.S. executive to engage in meaningful discussions with Puerto Ricans, setting aside the outdated model of colonial governance for a future based on sovereignty and mutual strategic interests.

2) Puerto Rico would become a swing state once it becomes the 51st state: FALSE

During a mock election organized by the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, Kamala Harris won 73% of the vote, with 63% of registered voters participating. This figure may seem high, but it reflects a broader trend of political manipulation and seasonal alliances between the Democratic and Republican Parties and Puerto Rico’s two main political factions, the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) and the New Progressive Party (NPP). Puerto Rico's political dynamics are dominated by special interests that focus on patronage and economic development, often neglecting the true strategic national interests of both Puerto Rico and the United States.

The idea that Puerto Rico would become a swing state overlooks the complexity of its political landscape and the fact that Puerto Ricans generally engage with U.S. politics only when it directly impacts their well-being, not out of ideological alignment or patriotism.

3) Statehood for Puerto Rico is a civil rights issue: FALSE

The Puerto Rican identity is one of national pride, deeply rooted in their national territory, ethnic and cultural heritage. But Puerto Ricans have long lived in a territory without national citizenship of their own, and while they identify as American citizens, they are denied full participation in the political and legal processes that shape their lives. This unresolved issue cannot be solved by merely granting statehood, as that would perpetuate the colonial status. The heart of Puerto Rico is not American; it is Puerto Rican. As the Harvard Law Review noted in 2017, “Puerto Rico’s heart is not American. It is Puerto Rican.”

Human rights for Puerto Ricans are achieved not through assimilation into the American system but through the process of decolonization, where Puerto Ricans can form partnerships based on respect and shared interests with the United States while asserting their own nationhood. Resolution 748 of the United Nations, adopted in 1953, still stands and recognizes Puerto Ricans as a distinct country with a special relationship with the United States.

4) Puerto Ricans assimilate, thus diluting themselves into American culture: FALSE

Since 1898, the United States has hoped that Puerto Ricans would eventually adopt American customs and values, but Puerto Ricans have continuously resisted such assimilation. Instead, they have used their cultural distinctiveness, historical uniqueness, including language and idiosyncrasy, as a tool to assert their nationhood. Like Cuba, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and other nations in the region, Puerto Rico enjoys the distinction of never having had to negotiate or define a national border. Making strong and proud nations that should be envied by non-unitary and continental nations.

Now is the moment to build a new relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico that is based on cooperation, transparency, and shared values. Today, this goal is impossible with the corrupt, unpatriotic, and opportunistic political class. We need the United States and Puerto Rico to move beyond the current mess and embark on a path of self-reliance and prosperity.

It is time for Congress and the U.S. executive to recognize that Puerto Ricans want sovereignty, not statehood.

Julio Ortiz-Luquis is a Puerto Rican doctor in International Relations and a development practitioner, having worked with specialized agencies and community-based organizations in the United States and Latin America on human development and human security programs. He teaches at the MA Program in International Relations at the Center for Advanced Studies in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

Javier A. Hernández is a Puerto Rican entrepreneur, writer, author, advisor, and pro-sovereignty and decolonization advocate based in New Jersey and Puerto Rico. He is the author of PREXIT: Forging Puerto Rico's Path to Sovereignty and Puerto Rico: The Economic Case for Sovereignty, among other books about Puerto Rico.

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