Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 13 June 2017

Puerto Rico upholds statehood demand in contentious vote

endum, followed by nearly a failure.Former Gov. Ale-
7,800 votes for free associ- jandro Garcia Padilla, who
ation/independence and did not seek re-election
more than 6,800 votes for last year and whose party
the current territorial status. supports the status quo, re-
Voter turnout was just 23 jected Sunday’s results.
percent. “Whoever claims that
It was the lowest level of statehood triumphed is
participation in any elec- being intellectually dishon-
tion in Puerto Rico since est,” he said. “The boycott
1967, noted Carlos Vargas defeated statehood.”
Ramos, an associate with The referendum coincided
the Center for Puerto Rican with the 100th anniversary
Studies at Hunter College of the United States grant-
in New York. He told The ing U.S. citizenship to Puer-
Associated Press that even to Ricans, though they are
among voters who sup- barred from voting in presi-
ported statehood, turnout dential elections and have
was lower this year com- only one congressional
pared with the previous representative with limited
referendum in 2012. voting powers.
“Supporters of statehood Many believe the island’s
did not seem enthusias- territorial status has con-
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello celebrates the results of a referendum on the status of
the island, next to Congresswoman representing Puerto Rico Jennifer Gonzalez, left, at the New tic about this plebiscite as tributed to its economic
Progressive Party headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday, June 11, 2017. The governor they were five years ago,” crisis, largely caused by
announced that the U.S. territory overwhelmingly chose statehood on Sunday in a non-binding he said. decades of heavy borrow-
referendum held amid a deep economic crisis that has sparked an exodus of islanders to the U.S. Rossello brushed aside ing and the elimination of
mainland. Voter turnout was just 23 percent. those concerns, noting federal tax incentives.
(AP Photo/Carlos Giusti) that the referendum was Puerto Rico is exempt from
By DANICA COTO statehood from the U.S. U.S. presidential spokesman a democratic process in the U.S. federal income
Associated Press Congress, which has to ap- Sean Spicer said Monday which the majority pre- tax, but it still pays Social
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) prove any changes to the that the process will have vailed as he questioned Security and Medicare
— Puerto Rico’s governor island’s political status. to work its way through why more people did not and local taxes and re-
is vowing to make the U.S. “The United States of Amer- Congress. come out to defend alter- ceives less federal funding
territory the 51st state after ica will have to obey the “Now that the people have natives to statehood. He than U.S. states.
statehood won in a non- will of our people!” Rossello spoken in Puerto Rico, this is also said that participation “We have been a colony
binding referendum hit by yelled to a crowd clutching something that Congress rates varied from 7 percent for 500 years, and we have
a boycott and low turnout U.S. flags and dancing to a has to address,” he said. to 35 percent for states in- had U.S. citizenship for 100
that raised questions about tropical jingle that promot- Puerto Rico’s referendum cluding Wisconsin and Ha- years, but it’s been a sec-
the vote’s legitimacy. ed statehood. has sparked dozens of waii when they were rati- ond class one,” Rossello
Gov. Ricardo Rossello told But experts say it is highly memes that turned viral, in- fied as states. said.
a couple hundred support- unlikely a Republican- cluding some showing the Three of Puerto Rico’s po- Nearly half a million Puerto
ers waving U.S. flags late controlled Congress would tropical island covered in litical parties including the Ricans have fled to the U.S.
Sunday that he will soon acknowledge Sunday’s snow. main opposition party had mainland to escape the
create a commission to ap- results, let alone accept More than half a million called on their supporters island’s 10-year economic
point two senators and five them because Puerto Rico people voted for state- to boycott the referen- recession and 12 percent
representatives to demand tends to favor Democrats. hood during Sunday’s refer- dum, which they labeled unemployment rate.
Those who remain behind
Dominican officials jailed in case linked to Brazil have faced new taxes
and higher utility bills on
an island where food is 22
percent more expensive
SANTO DOMINGO, Domini- Francisco Ortega ruled tracts. Executives of Odebrecht than the U.S. mainland and
can Republic (AP) — last week that Industry and The judge said seven oth- told U.S. prosecutors that public services are 64 per-
A Cabinet minister in the Commerce Minister Tamis- ers will also be held but that the company paid $92 cent more expensive.
Dominican Republic will re- tocles Montas will be held three legislators suspected million in bribes to Domini- Jose Rosa, a 62-year-old
main in custody as he fac- for at least six months of of involvement cannot be can officials since 2001 to retired corrections officer,
es charges in a corruption “preventive detention” as detained because of par- secure government con- said the island’s situation
case involving the Brazil- authorities investigate al- liamentary immunity. tracts. is the reason he voted for
ian construction company legations that Odebrecht Two former officials got Montas says he did not sign the first time in such a refer-
Odebrecht. paid bribes to secure gov- house arrest for health rea- the contracts and has de- endum, the fifth on Puerto
Supreme Court Justice ernment construction con- sons. nied any wrongdoing. q Rico’s status. q