“In 2020, our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico made it clear through their internal referendum that they desire statehood,” Senator Marco Rubio told the Floridian.
The 2020 vote was the third referendum in which statehood was the winner, following plebiscites in 2012 and 2017. The three in the 20th century brought in three different results. Each of the plebiscites so far has had a different format and different questions on the ballot. The 2020 vote was a yes/no vote on statehood, like the votes held in Hawaii and Alaska before they were admitted. 53% of voters said “Yes” to statehood.
Puerto Rico plans another status vote in November 2024. This vote will be modeled on the Puerto Rico Status Act, offering a choice among statehood, independence, and “sovereign free association” which is independence with a Compact of Free Association between the United States and Puerto Rico. The free association option would require negotiation between the United States and the new nation of Puerto Rico to determine matters such as economic support, military privileges, and citizenship.
Rubio’s support
“Our fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico have democratically expressed their support for becoming a state,” Rubio said in a statement in 2021. “I urge my Senate colleagues to keep an open mind and learn more about statehood before taking a firm position in opposition.”
The Puerto Rico Status Act is pending in the Senate, with 26 cosponsors. Rubio has not yet added his name to that list; nor has Senator Scott. The two Florida senators represent the state with the largest Puerto Rican population and both have supported statehood for Puerto Rico in the past. Rubio has said that he doesn’t think there are enough votes to pass the bill in the Senate.
However, Rubio said in the statement, “I will continue to do my part to one day achieve the 60 votes needed in the Senate for admission.”
In 2023, Rubio’s website published a statement saying, “Senator Rubio… stands by to admit Puerto Rico as the 51st state should its people vote in favor of union.” Now, with his statement that the people of Puerto Rico have voted for admission of Puerto Rico as a state, Rubio’s support should be solid.
Your senators
Puerto Rico has no Senators, so the voters of Puerto Rico must rely on the senators from the states to provide a voice in the Senate.
If you live in a state, ask your senators to stand up for Puerto Rico statehood and to support the Puerto Rico Status Act.
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