Puerto Rico
Discovered by Columbus in 1493, the island was ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. A popularly elected governor has served since 1948. In plebiscites held in 1967 and 1993, voters chose to retain commonwealth status.
Puerto Rico has a representative in the US House of Representatives; the inhabitants of the island are US citizens, but they may not vote in presidential elections. The latest election for Governor, held in November 1996, was a three-way fight between PNP candidate Pedro Rossello, Hector Luis Acevedo of the PPD and David Noriega of the small Partido Independentista. Rossello won with just over half the total poll. Elections to the Senate and the House of Representatives on the same day gave the PNP a large majority, reflecting its strength of numbers in the lower house. This was Rossello's second consecutive term and the principal political issue remained that of Puerto Rico's status vis-à-vis the United States.
In 1917 Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship and in 1952 the island became a self-governing 'Commonwealth in association with the USA'. Many people regard this situation as a compromise between either full membership of the USA or full independence.
Various political groupings support these views: the Partido Popular Democrático (PPD) is broadly in favor of Commonwealth status, while the Partido Neuvo Progresista (PNP) supports full state membership. Some left-wing groups are working towards independence, including a couple of extremist groups that advocate and use violence: independence remains a sensitive issue on the island.
In December 1998, the third referendum in thirty years was held on the issue: voters were asked whether they wished Puerto Rico to become the 51st state of the US; by a narrow majority, they decided against it.
