A Puertorican friend of mine says PR is protected by U.S I say it's a free U.S associated state?

Question

I also said to him you're wrong. because when you say protected you mean Puerto Rico is in danger.
He reply is in the history of Puerto Rico.
In your opinion am I wrong?

Answer 1

Yes its a territory and is protected by the U.S but that's OK at one time they did want statehood and they decided not to become one

Answer 2

Sorry hon. Your friend is right. It's a US Territory (sometimes called a "protected territory") but it is not a state. PR has rejected a referendum for statehood on at least 3 seperate ocassions. They have a non-voting representative in Congress, but they pay no taxes.

"Protected" is used as a political term and has nothing to do in this case with threat or danger. Protectorate is the correct term.

Followup: I was just reading answers above, and I am amazed at the number of US citizens claiming that it is a commonwealth. The US does not have commonwealths. A commonwealth is a territory under British rule and falls under their governmental system. The US does not operate under the same system. A territory would be the US equivalent of a British Commonwealth, but it is not the same.

Answer 3

That is the most confusing question I have seen in a while.

Puerto Rico is an United States Territory with Commonwealth status, not taxed by the U.S., but under our wing of protection at all times. It has it's own government with 3 branches just like ours. As a rule, we do not interfere with their system.

We offered statehood a few years back, but they opted out in a vote by a relatively small margin.

Answer 4

I don't think either position is quite right. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and we are responsible for protecting it. Puerto Ricans have rejected statehood in elections, but they are part of the U.S. since the Spanish-American War.

Answer 5

PUERTO RICO IS A COMMONWEALTH OF THE USA.
WE ARE NOT A STATE. WE DO NOT VOTE FOR PRESIDENT IN PUERTO RICO. WE DO HAVE SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN TO REPSRESENT US IN WASHINGTON.

Puerto Rico is, politically speaking, an unincorporated territory of the United States classified as a Commonwealth, Puerto Ricans and people from other nations refer to Puerto Rico as a país, the Spanish word for country. This is a very common and accepted international status given to all dependent territories, also called dependent "states" by the United Nations although on many occasions it has been thought of as a possibility that Puerto Rico would become the 51st State of the United States of America. The United Nations has intervened in the past to evaluate the legitimacy of Puerto Rico's political status, to ensure that the island's government structure complies with the standards of self-government that constitute the basic tenets of the United Nations Charter, its covenants, and its principles of international law.

On November 27, 1953, shortly after establishment of the Commonwealth, the General Assembly of the UN approved Resolution 748, removing Puerto Rico’s classification as a non-self-governing territory under article 73(e) of the Charter of the United Nations. The resolution garnered a favorable vote of fewer than 40% of the General Assembly, with over 60% abstaining or voting against it (20 to 16, with 18 abstentions). This resolution has not been revoked by the UN even though the political status is still debated in many international forums.

For a territory to be deemed self-governing, the United Nations require:

"(a) Legislative representation. Representation without discrimination in the central legislative organs, on the same basis as other inhabitants and regions [within the governing nation].
(b) Participation of the population. Effective participation of population in the government of the territory
(1) Is there an adequate and appropriate electoral and representation system?
(2) Is this electoral system conducted without direct or indirect interference from a foreign government?
(c) Citizenship. Citizenship without discrimination on the same basis as other inhabitants
(d) Government officials. Eligibility of officials from the territory for all public offices of the central authority, by appointment or election, on the same basis as those from other parts of the country".
The General Assembly did not apply its list of criteria to Puerto Rico for determining whether or not self-governing status had been achieved. In fact, in a 1996 report on a Puerto Rico status political bill, the U.S. House Committee on Resources stated that Puerto Rico’s current status “does not meet the criteria for any of the options for full self government.” The House Committee concluded that Puerto Rico is still an unincorporated territory of the United States under the territorial clause, that the establishment of local self-government with the consent of the people can be unilaterally revoked by U.S. Congress, and that U.S. Congress can also withdraw at any time the American citizenship now enjoyed by the residents of Puerto Rico as long as it achieves a legitimate Federal purpose, in a manner reasonably related to that purpose.

Answer 6

Because it is an associated state it is protected by our servicement and women. So really both of you are right. It is protected against any future harm not that there is any right now.

Answer 7

Yes you are. It is called a protectorate. The same as a territory. You are reading it too strongly.

Answer 8

It is a territory of the US.