Date of Award/Publication

4-2004

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S. in International Studies

Department

International Studies

Abstract

The intention of this paper is to establish why the political status of Puerto Rico is an international issue, rather than a purely internal matter of the United States and provide a possible transition plan that will permit the U.S. and Puerto Rico to make a decision that would modify the status quo. The arguments assert that the political status of Puerto Rico can be resolve if the United States takes a genuine interest by working on a domestic policy to address the situation and finally end the inattentive policy. On the other hand, the main Puerto Rican parties should all agree to work on a local political process in order to come up with a consensus on a formula that expresses the will of the people of Puerto Rico. There has been a tendency to believe that only those Puerto Ricans who support independence consider the status quo an international issue. At the present time the argument asserts that the actual status of Puerto Rico provided a significant change in 1952 from a purely colonial government to certain degree self-government, but 51 years of this formula have not resolve the issue. The island is considered the oldest colony in the world. Regardless of the Puerto Rican preferences for the following options: commonwealth, statehood or independence; the people of Puerto Rico consider this issue a domestic matter that has evolved into an international issue that needs to be resolve in the near future.

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