Washington, D.C. – Prominent statehood leader, Dr. Ricardo Rossello, filed a complaint today before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights against the Obama administration, the Governor of Puerto Rico and the legislature of the island, arguing that they have failed to recognize the results of the state plebiscite, held on November 6, 2013, through which the majority of the people of Puerto Rico chose to end the current territorial status (53.97%) and voted in support of joining the Union as a state (61.16%).
“For decades Washington has said that it’s up to the people of Puerto Rico to resolve the question of their political status,” said Alfonso Aguilar, Executive Director of the American Principles Project’s Latino Partnership. “Well, the people of Puerto Rico spoke loud and clear on November of 2012, as they called for an end to the current territorial status and supporting statehood for the Island. Yet, President Obama and Congress have chosen to ignore the results of the November plebiscite, and have done nothing to respond to the will of the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico.”
“Their inaction and lack of leadership only helps to prolong the unequal treatment afforded to the citizens of the Island. I hope this complaint helps bring national attention to the lack of full civil rights of the people of Puerto Rico and pressures the federal government to finally end the undemocratic political arrangement of the island,” Aguilar concluded.
Photo Credit: Alex Barth (CC-By-2.0)