Puerto Rican Independence Party
Puerto Rican Independence Party Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño | ||
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Senate 1 / 27 | ||
Seats in the House of Representatives | 1 / 51 | |
Municipalities | 0 / 78 | |
Party flag | ||
Website | ||
patrianuevapr | ||
The Puerto Rican Independence Party (Spanish: Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño, PIP) is a social-democratic[2][3] political party in Puerto Rico that campaigns for the independence of Puerto Rico from the United States.[5]
Those who follow the PIP ideology are usually called independentistas, pipiolos, or sometimes just pro-independence activists.[6]
History
The party began as the electoral wing of the
Foundation
The party was founded on 27 October 1946,[1] by Gilberto Concepción de Gracia (1909–1968), his colleague Fernando Milán Suárez and Antonio J. González.[10] They felt the independence movement had been betrayed by the Popular Democratic Party, whose ultimate goal had originally been independence.
FBI surveillance of the party
Former FBI Director Louis Freeh admitted 2003 in a congressional budget hearing that the FBI had engaged in suppression of Puerto Rican independence groups from the 1930s to the 1990s, including surveillance of the Puerto Rican Independence Party.[11][12] The actions undertaken by the FBI have been described as "egregious illegal action, maybe criminal action."[13]
After Freeh's public admission, The New York Times reported the following details about actions against the Puerto Rican Independence Party:
They include a 1961 directive from Mr. Hoover to seek information on 12 independence movement leaders, six of them operating in New York, "concerning their weaknesses, morals, criminal records, spouses, children, family life, educational qualifications and personal activities other than independence activities." The instructions were given under the domestic surveillance program known as COINTELPRO, which aimed at aggressively monitoring antiwar, leftist and other groups in the United States and disrupting them.
In the case of Puerto Rican independence groups,
Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, director of the center at Hunter. 'In the 1940s, independence was the second-largest political movement in the island, (after support for commonwealth status), and a real alternative. But it was criminalized.'The existence of the FBI papers came to light during a
Louis J. Freeh, then FBI director, on the issue. Freeh gave the first public acknowledgment of the federal government's Puerto Rican surveillance and offered a mea culpa.'Your question goes back to a period, particularly in the 1960s, when the F.B.I. did operate a program that did tremendous destruction to many people, to the country and certainly to the F.B.I.,' Freeh said, according to transcripts of the hearing. Freeh said that he would make the files available 'and see if we can redress some of the egregious illegal action, maybe criminal action, that occurred in the past'.".[15]
The FBI's surveillance of persons and organizations advocating Puerto Rico's independence, was not only recognized by the FBI's top leadership,[11] but was also detailed in 1.8 million documents, a fraction of which were released in 2000.[16][12]
The political repression of the party and the independence movement at large by the U.S. Federal Government between the years 1930 and 1975, coupled with an absorption of some cultural-nationalist ideology by the populares in the years thereafter have been identified as major reasons for the electoral decline of the party leading to its loss of official status in 2008.[17]
1970s
In 1971, the PIP gubernatorial candidate,
1990s
Part of a series on |
Social democracy |
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In 1999, PIP leaders, especially
2008 election
During the 2008 elections, the PIP lost official recognition for the second time, obtaining 2.04% of the gubernatorial vote. Loss of recognition was official on 2 January 2009. The minimum vote percentage to keep official recognition is 3.0% as per the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico law. The party also lost both of its seats in the legislature, where they had had one seat in each house.
In May 2009, the party submitted more than 100,000 signed petitions to the Puerto Rico's elections commission and regained legal status.[21]
2012 election
During the 2012 elections, the PIP lost official recognition for the third time, obtaining 2.5% of the gubernatorial vote. Loss of recognition will be official on 2 January 2013. The minimum vote percentage to keep official recognition is 3.0% as per the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico law.[22]
2016 election
For the 2016 election, Senator María de Lourdes Santiago was the party's nominee. She obtained 33,452 votes and came in fifth place, with 2.1% of the vote. Some of the senator's main policies for the election are outlined below[23]
- Increase the basic teacher's salary to $3,000 per month.[24]
- Universal healthcare through the National Health Plan.[25]
- Merge the unicameral chamber, whereby the members are elected by proportional representation.[26]
- Change the status of Freely Associated State.[27]
2020 election
For the 2020 election,
International support
External audio | |
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[1] You may watch and listen to a Puerto Rican Independence Party political campaign ad featuring Ruben Berrios and the voice of José Feliciano in an interpretation of Antonio Caban Vales' "Verde Luz'" here.] |
The PIP cause receives moral support by international organizations. Examples of these are the
On 26 January 2007, the
On 18 June 2021 the United Nations associated Special Committee on Decolonization published a draft resolution calling on the United States to facilitate a process that enables the people of Puerto Rico to exercise their right to self-determination and independence.[30] Juan Dalmau spoke before the committee to represent the party stating that the colonial experience of the United States in Puerto Rico had failed and its harmful consequences were still visible.[30]
Party platform and ideology
PIP anti-war mobilization and protests
As reported in numerous media, the PIP's leadership and active members participated in
Another article in The Progressive also reported on PIP's anti-war activity. It was written three years earlier, in 2004, but it still noted that "some groups like the Puerto Rico Bar Association and the Independence Party have registered strong protests against the deployments. In an attempt to draw attention to Puerto Ricans' lack of elected representatives, even the usually pro-U.S. statehood party has raised concerns about the disproportionate body count suffered by islanders."[32] Two years later, it was reported that PIP, along with hundreds of other supporters of Puerto Rican independence "blocked the entrance to the U.S. Federal Courthouse here on Feb. 20 to denounce recent FBI raids against the homes and workplaces of ... supporters of Puerto Rican independence ... and the growing repression by the FBI against the independence movement in general." This demonstration reportedly marked the beginning of PIP "campaign to get the FBI out of Puerto Rico."[33]
PIP stance on Puerto Rico's economic crisis and taxation system
During the 2005–2007 Puerto Rico economic crisis, the Puerto Rican Independence Party submitted various bills that would have taxed corporations making $1 million or more in annual net profits an extra ten percent above the average tax rate these corporations pay, which hovers around 5%.[34] The PNP and the PPD parties amended the bill, taxing the corporations the traditional lower rate.[34] Despite objections presented by the PIP, the PNP and PPD also allowed the companies to claim the additional tax as a credit on next year's bill, making the "tax", in effect, a one-year loan. Puerto Rico has been said "There is no place in the territorial limits of the United States that provides such an advantageous base for exporters. " Because of this, many US companies moved their headquarters and manufacturing facilities there. This is why the PNP and PPD believed the tax increase would exacerbate the problems[34][35]
Disfranchisement due to residence in Puerto Rico
United States citizens residing in the
Both the Puerto Rican Independence Party and the
Party symbol
The flag's green color stands for the hope of becoming free, and the white cross stands for the sacrifice and commitment of the party with democracy.[
Electoral performance
Governor of Puerto Rico (Gobernador de Puerto Rico)
Year | Candidato | Votes | % | +/- | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1948 | Francisco Susoni | 65,351 | 10.20 / 100
|
10.20% | 3rd |
1952 | Francisco Milán | 126,228 | 18.98 / 100
|
8.68% | 2nd |
1956 | Francisco Susoni | 86,636 | 12.35 / 100
|
6.63% | 3rd |
1960 | Julio García Diaz | 24,211 | 3.07 / 100
|
9.28% | 4th |
1964 | Gilberto Concepción de Gracia | 23,340 | 2.81 / 100
|
0.26% | 4th |
1968 | Antonio J. González | 32,166 | 3.50 / 100
|
0.69% | 4th |
1972 | Noel Colón Martínez | 69,654 | 5.36 / 100
|
1.86% | 3rd |
1976 | Rubén Berríos | 83,037 | 5.67 / 100
|
0.31% | 3rd |
1980 | Rubén Berríos | 87,272 | 5.42 / 100
|
0.25% | 3rd |
1984 | Fernando Martín García | 61,312 | 3.52 / 100
|
1.90% | 4th |
1988 | Rubén Berríos | 99,206 | 5.47 / 100
|
1.95% | 3rd |
1992 | Fernando Martín García | 79,219 | 4.21 / 100
|
1.26% | 3rd |
1996 | David Noriega Rodríguez | 73,305 | 3.73 / 100
|
0.48% | 3rd |
2000 | Rubén Berríos | 104,705 | 5.23 / 100
|
1.50% | 3rd |
2004 | Rubén Berríos | 54.551 | 2.74 / 100
|
2.49% | 3rd |
2008 | Edwin Irizarry Mora | 39,590 | 2.04 / 100
|
0.70% | 4th |
2012 | Juan Dalmau Ramírez
|
46,998 | 2.52 / 100
|
0.50% | 3rd |
2016 | María de Lourdes Santiago | 33,729 | 2.31 / 100
|
0.21% | 5th |
2020 | Juan Dalmau Ramírez
|
175,402 | 13.58 / 100
|
11.27% | 4th |
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico (Comisionado Residente de Puerto Rico)
Year | Candidate | Votes | % | +/- | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1980 | Marta Font de Calero | 83,911 | 5.30 / 100
|
5.30% | 3rd |
1984 | Francisco Catalá Oliveras | 64,001 | 3.80 / 100
|
1.30% | 3rd |
1988 | Luis Pío Sánchez Longo | 79,557 | 4.50 / 100
|
0.70% | 3rd |
1992 | Victor García San Inocencio
|
63,472 | 3.40 / 100
|
1.10% | 3rd |
1996 | Manuel Rodríguez Orellana | 68,828 | 3.50 / 100
|
0.10% | 3rd |
2000 | Manuel Rodríguez Orellana | 95,067 | 4.80 / 100
|
1.30% | 3rd |
2004 | Edwin Irizarry Mora | 56,589 | 2.90 / 100
|
1.90% | 3rd |
2008 | Jessica Martinez Birriel | 37,865 | 2.00 / 100
|
0.90% | 4th |
2012 | Juan Mercado Nieves | 38,941 | 2.10 / 100
|
0.10% | 3rd |
2016 | Hugo Rodríguez | 39,395 | 2.70 / 100
|
0.60% | 5th |
2020 | Luis Roberto Piñero | 78,503 | 6.30 / 100
|
3.60% | 5th |
Legislative elections
Year | District votes | % | At-large votes | % | Seats | +/– |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | 83.850 | 4.6 | 262,235 | 14.1 | 1 / 51
|
-1 |
1996 | 88,790 | 4.6 | 140,964 | 7.5 | 1 / 51
|
0 |
2000 | 112,592 | 5.8 | 224,765 | 11.6 | 1 / 51
|
0 |
2004 | 77,289 | 4.0 | 186,197 | 9.7 | 1 / 51
|
0 |
2008 | 40,269 | 2.1 | 93,816 | 5.0 | 0 / 51
|
-1 |
2012 | 48,606 | 2.7 | 86,716 | 4.8 | 0 / 51
|
0 |
2016 | 71,442 | 4.8 | 121,066 | 8.3 | 1 / 51
|
1 |
2020 | 102,266 | 8.7 | 127,577 | 10.6 | 1 / 51
|
0 |
Year | District votes | % | At-large votes | % | Seats | +/– |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | 162.215 | 4.2 | 209,009 | 11.3 | 1 / 29
|
0 |
1996 | 175.500 | 4.6 | 160,005 | 8.5 | 1 / 28
|
0 |
2000 | 221,411 | 5.8 | 217,390 | 11.3 | 1 / 28
|
0 |
2004 | 160,632 | 4.2 | 178,541 | 9.4 | 1 / 27
|
0 |
2008 | 80,920 | 2.2 | 90,171 | 4.8 | 0 / 27
|
-1 |
2012 | 97,626 | 2.7 | 138,167 | 7.7 | 1 / 27
|
1 |
2016 | 150,904 | 5.3 | 130,583 | 8.9 | 1 / 30
|
0 |
2020 | 205,137 | 9.0 | 136,679 | 11.3 | 1 / 27
|
0 |
Important party leaders
- Rubén Berríos – President, former Senator and Honorary President of the Socialist International (SI)
- Manuel Rodríguez Orellana – Secretary of Relations with North America
- Fernando Martín – Executive President, former Senator
- María de Lourdes Santiago Negrón– Vice-President, Senator
- Juan Dalmau Ramírez– Secretary General & Electoral Commissioner
- Edwin Irizarry Mora – Secretary of Economic Affairs
- David Noriega– Former Representative. Gubernatorial candidate in 1996 general elections. He resigned from the party in the late 1990s.
- Roberto Iván Aponte – Secretary of Municipal Organization
- Luis Roberto Piñero – President of the Pro-Independence Advocates' Campaign in favor of unifying both Houses of the Legislature into a single, unicameral Parliament
- Víctor García San Inocencio – Former Representative
- Jorge Fernández Porto – Adviser on Environmental Sciences and Public Policy Affairs
- Jessica Martínez – Member of Pro-Independence Advocates' Campaign in Favor of a single, unicameral Parliament
- Gilberto Concepción de Gracia – Founding President and respected Latin American Leader
See also
- Latin American and Caribbean Congress in Solidarity with Puerto Rico's Independence
- List of political parties in Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rican Socialist Party
- Cause of Vieques
- Cerro Maravilla murders
- Navy-Culebra protests
- Navy-Vieques protests
- Politics of Puerto Rico
- Socialist International
References
- ^ ISBN 84-398-8538-2
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-516228-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-89608-257-1.
- ^ National Performances: The Politics of Class, Race, and Space in Puerto Rican Chicago. Ana Y. Ramos-Zayas. University of Chicago Press. 2003. Pages 21-22. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
- ^ Berrios-Martinez, Ruben; "Puerto rico—Lithuania in Reverse?"; The Washington Post, Pg. A23; 23 May 1990.
- ^ Wallace, Carol J.; "Translating Laughter: Humor as a Special Challenge in Translating the Stories of Ana Lydia Vega"; The Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association (MLA), Vol. 35, No. 2, Translating in and across Cultures (Autumn, 2002), pp. 75-87
- ISBN 978-0-8153-3520-7. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
- ^ "EVENTOS ELECTORALES" (in Spanish). Comisión estatal de elecciones de Puerto Rico. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ^ Álvarez-Rivera, Manuel. "Elections in Puerto Rico". Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ^ "Ciales Municipality - Municipalities - EnciclopediaPR".
- ^ a b "El Diario/LA PRENSA OnLine". Archived from the original on 23 February 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ a b "pr-secretfiles.net". Archived from the original on 9 January 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ America's Colony By Pedro A. Malavet, page 95 Accessed 14 July 2009.
- ISBN 9780275952266.
- ^ "Decades of FBI Surveillance of Puerto Rican Groups by Mireya Navarro". Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ "pr-secretfiles.net". Archived from the original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ Duchesne-Winter, Juan (8 May 2008). "National Identity Politics in Puerto Rico: Beyond the Binational Colonial State". revista.drclas.harvard.edu. David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- Navy-Culebra protests).
- ^ Berrios Martinez, Ruben; "From a Puerto Rican Prison"; The New York Times, pg. 47, 28 April 1971.
- ^ "Dozens of Puerto Rican Protesters Arrested". ABC News.
- ^ "Puerto Rican Independence Party Regains Legal Status". Latin American Herald Tribune. c. 2009. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
- ^ "El Vocero de Puerto Rico". Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ Politica de Educacion: María de Lourdes Santiago presenta su propuesta educativa. Inter News Services. Univision de Puerto Rico. 27 July 2016. Accesses 28 March 2018.
- ^ Univision. "María de Lourdes Santiago presenta su propuesta educativa". Univision.
- ^ "MARÍA DE LOURDES SANTIAGO PRESENTA SU PROPUESTA AMBIENTAL". Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño ... por la independencia de Puerto Rico.
- ^ "Reforma Gubernamental". Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño ... por la independencia de Puerto Rico.
- ^ Día, El Nuevo. "Perfil de senador María de Lourdes Santiago Negrón". Puerto Rico Decide 2016 - ENData.
- ^ "Panama requests Latin America to support Puerto Rican independence"; Dominican Today; 19 November 2006
- ^ "Prominentes figuras de América Latina apoyan la independencia de Puerto Rico - Escritores y artistas declaran su adhesión a la Proclama de Panamá" www.independencia.net/topicos/panama/cpi_panama_nov06.html
- ^ a b "Special Committee on Decolonization Approves Text Calling upon United States to Promote Puerto Rico's Self-Determination, Eventual Independence". Special Committee on Decolonization. United Nations Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ "Recruiting For Iraq War Undercut in Puerto Rico". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ "Puerto Rican involvement in Iraq comes with no representation". The Progressive. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ "Puerto Rican Independence Party protests FBI attacks on activists and the". 22 February 2006. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- ^ a b c Cruz, José A.; "Puerto Rico's crisis highlights its colonial status"; People's Weekly World. (National Edition). New York: 17 Jun – 23 Jun 2006. Vol. 21, Iss. 3; pg. 7.
- ^ "— Offshore Manual - We walk the walk, and talk the talk! --". Retrieved 25 April 2016.
- Puerto Rican Independence Party (1998). Retrieved 6 January 2004 from www.independencia.net/ingles/welcome.html