Establishment of the Commonwealth History of Puerto Rico

from 1948 1952 felony display puerto rican flag in public; flag permitted flown on island flag of united states.

in years after world war ii, social, political , economical changes began take place have continued shape island s character today. late 1940s brought beginning of major migration continental united states, new york city. main reasons undesirable economic situation brought great depression, strong recruiting u.s. armed forces personnel , u.s. companies workers.

in 1946 president truman appointed resident commissioner jesús t. piñero serve island governor; first puerto rican appointed position. on june 10, 1948, piñero signed infamous ley de la mordaza (gag law). law 53, officially known, passed puerto rican legislature presided luis muñoz marín on may 21, 1948. law made illegal display puerto rican flag, sing nationalist song, talk independence or campaign independence of island. resembled anti-communist smith law passed in united states.

the u.s. congress passed act allowing puerto ricans elect governor, , first elections under act held on november 2, 1948. luis muñoz marín, president of puerto rican senate, campaigned , became first democratically elected governor of island on january 2, 1949.

el imparcial headline: aviation (us) bombs utuado during nationalist revolts

on july 4, 1950, president harry s. truman signed public act 600, allowed puerto ricans draft own constitution establishing own internal government structures; renamed body politic commonwealth of puerto rico. in english , estado libre asociado de puerto rico in spanish. (the commonwealth designation similar bodies politic of states of massachusetts, pennsylvania, virginia , kentucky.) once in office, muñoz marin did not pursue puerto rican independence, angered of constituency.

on october 30, 1950, group of puerto rican nationalists, led pedro albizu campos, staged several local attacks, known puerto rican nationalist party revolts of 1950s, successful of known jayuya uprising. revolts included attack on governor s mansion, la fortaleza. puerto rican military forces called in put down jayuya uprising. 2 days later, 2 nationalists new york tried storm in blair house, president s temporary residence, assassinate united states president harry s. truman. these acts led muñoz crack down on puerto rican nationalists , advocates of puerto rican independence. actions both muñoz , united states government later determined infringing on constitutional rights.

in february 1952, constitution of puerto rico approved voters in referendum, , federal law approved it, subject striking sec. 20 of article ii , adding text sec. 3 of article vii of final draft, amendments ratified in november of year. island organized estado libre asociado (commonwealth of puerto rico). same year marked first time flag of puerto rico publicly displayed, after having been criminalized in 1948 popular democratic party-controlled government. in march 1954, 4 nationalists fired guns visitors gallery in house of representatives @ capitol, protest lack of puerto rican independence, wounding several persons.

luis a. ferré founded estadistas unidos (united statehooders), organization campaign statehood in 1967 plebiscite, after statehood republican party chose boycott vote. on july 23, 1967, first plebiscite on political status of puerto rico held. voters affirmed continuation of commonwealth status (commonwealth–60.4% statehood–39%; independence–0.6%). other plebiscites have been held determine political status of puerto rico, in 1993 , in 1998. both times, although smaller margins, status quo has been upheld. in 2012, majority voted reject current status , voted become state. referendum controversial opponents had tried persuade people abstain voting altogether , argued vote invalid.

as u.s. constitution empowers congress admit new states, referendum taken sign of popular opinion. legally island remains territory of united states, under congressional supervision. after 1967 plebiscite, partido nuevo progresista (new progressive party or new party progress) organized under ferré s leadership. party campaigned puerto rico become 51st state of union. luis a. ferré elected governor on november 5, 1968, 43.6% of vote, first time pro-statehood governor had received plurality. new progressive party, popular democratic party, , independence party constitute current political status-based registered political parties in island.

puerto rico continues struggle define political status. though puerto rico granted right draft own constitution, approved conditionally congress on july 3, 1952, remains unincorporated organized territory of united states. ambiguous status continues spark political debates dominate puerto rican society.