The country of Puerto Rico, which is a freely associated state under the control of the United States, will hold a referendum on the status of the island on November 3. The relevant law is signed by the state governor Wanda Vazquez.
Puerto Rico citizens will be asked one question – “Should Puerto Rico be immediately accepted into the United States. ” It is clarified that the referendum, which will be held along with the election of the governor, does not provide for the automatic adoption of US voting results. The decision must be made by the US Congress.
Back in 2018, the Permanent Representative of Puerto Rico in the US Congress introduced a bill recognizing Puerto Rico as an American state by 2021.
This is not the first time that Puerto Rico residents have determined the island’s political status in a referendum. The last time they voted to join the United States as the 51st state in 2017. However, the US Department of Justice did not support congressional voting.
Puerto Rico is recognized as the United States in 1898. Residents of the country are US citizens, but cannot vote in the presidential election and have only one representative with limited voting rights in the US Congress.
