HEADLINE NEWS TODAY! Bankrupt, Puerto Rico between Independent or Became a US State

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SAN JUAN - Puerto Rico declared itself bankrupt. Now the people of the country are preparing for a referendum to vote to become the 51st state of the United States (US), to remain a status quo, or to be totally independent.

Puerto Rico is still with its status quo, the commonwealth country under the auspices of the United States. Referedum will be held on Sunday (11/6/2017) San Juan time (the capital of Puerto Rico).

The history of Puerto Rico begins with the conquest of Juan Ponce de Leon who began building the Spanish settlements on the island in 1508. The area then became a Spanish colony or colony.

The status of the colony changed when the Spanish military and the United States (US) war in 1898. After the war, Puerto Rico was under US sovereignty.

In 1917, people in the archipelago were given US citizenship. Public Law 600 (Public Law 600), a federal law of 1950, authorized the islanders to design and adopt their own constitution, which they then carried out in 1952.

At that time, Puerto Rico earned the status of a Commonwealth country. Now after the bankruptcy, the people of the archipelago country will choose the future destiny of the country.

If Staying US Commonwealth Commonwealth

As a commonwealth of the United States, Puerto Rico has common defenses, markets and currencies similar to 50 other US states. However, residents in the region can not vote in federal elections, although they are eligible to vote in the US presidential election. They have a resident commissioner for the territory in the House of Representatives or Parliament.

Citizens do not pay income taxes to the US federal government on money earned on the island. Social Security taxes are levied under a collective agreement between the US government and the Commonwealth. However, many US federal government aid programs for San Juan.

Option Be State of the 51st US

The people of Puerto Rico have previously voiced a referendum on the fate of their country, namely in 1967, 1993 and 1998. They in 2012 finally held a referendum, but the majority still voted the status quo.

However, if in Sunday's election, the majority of the people in that country choose to become a US state, then the government authority will send a congressional delegation to Washington. They will demand a seat for two senators and five representatives elected by the governor.

Nevertheless, the Republican Party currently in charge of the US Congress is predicted to block the region's attempt to become the 51st US state. Moreover, residents in the archipelago so far tend to be pro-Democratic Party. If it is approved to be the 51st US state, the US Congress is unlikely to add the 51st star to the US flag in the near future.

The referendum is also to fulfill a campaign promise made by Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello. According to him, the financial benefits of US statehood will help tackle the economic woes on the island.

The archipelago country has suffered $ 74 billion of debt and has to pay pensions of $ 49 billion. The condition has forced the US Congress to create a supervisory board that filed for bankruptcy protection for the Commonwealth in May.


Rossello encouraged the island's people to vote on Sunday. He hopes to get the people's mandate to elect two senators and five representatives to be sent to Washington to demand a state. This strategy mimics the area of ​​Tennessee when it demanded to become a US state in the 18th century.

"Our colonial status is unsustainable and has contributed to the current fiscal and economic crisis," Rossello said, as quoted by USA Today

Edwin Melendez, Director of the Puerto Rican Studies Center at Hunter College in New York, says that by becoming a state, there will be a lot of money generated from Washington to San Juan.