Puerto Rico’s recently elected governor Ricardo Rossello campaigned last year on holding a referendum. Rossello’s New Progressive Party (PNP) party, which controls Puerto Rico’s government, is premised on a pro-statehood stance, while the opposition Popular Democratic Party (PPD) supports versions of the current territory status and a third party, the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), supports independence. A spokesman for the governor told Reuters he will push Congress to respect a result in favor of statehood, but Puerto Rico is seen as a low priority in Washington. The status referendum is Puerto Rico’s fifth since 1967. “Statehood isn’t going to happen and the status quo is a trap,” said 23-year-old engineering and economics student Daniel Montalvo.

Source: Huffington Post June 11, 2017 13:18 UTC