The independence movement in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States, involves all activities seeking the independence of the archipelago and island as a sovereign state. The movement is most commonly represented by the light blue flag of Puerto Rico and the light blue flag of Grito de Lares.
Since the 19th century, individuals and entities have advocated independence through violent rebellious and peaceful civic engagement actions. Under the rule of the Spanish Empire (1493–1898), the Revolutionary Committee claimed independence in the revolts of Grito de Lares (Cry of Lares) and Intentona de Yauco (Attempted Coup of Yauco). Under the sovereignty of the United States (1898–present), the Nationalist Party (PNPR) called for independence using political violence, while the Independence Party (PIP) and Citizens’ Victory Movement (CVM) continue to peacefully promote independence through elections.
The political status of Puerto Rico is an ongoing debate centered around various options: statehood as a U.S. state, commonwealth as an unincorporated U.S. territory, free association with the U.S. as a sovereign freely associated state, and independence from the U.S. as a sovereign state.
Electoral performance
During the insular civil government of Puerto Rico under the Foraker Act (1900–1917) and the Jones–Shafroth Act (1917–1952), the independence movement was mostly represented by the Union of Puerto Rico and Liberal Party, but also the Nationalist Party. Since the establishment of the commonwealth under the Constitution of Puerto Rico (1952–present), the Independence Party (PIP) has been the main proponent of independence, advocating for separation from the United States as a sovereign state since its establishment in 1946. The party is closely allied with Citizens’ Victory Movement (CVM), which has called for "decolonization" since its creation in 2019.
The independence movement differs from the commonwealth movement, which began under the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) to promote self-governance as an unincorporated territory of the United States, and the statehood movement, which has advocated for integration into the United States as a U.S. state under the New Progressive Party (PNP) and its precursors, namely the Republican Party, Pure Republican Party, Republican Union, Republican Progressive Union Party, Statehood Party, and Republican Statehood Party.
Status referendums
The Independence movement has received the least support in all referendums held on the political status of Puerto Rico since 1967. In the first three plebiscites, it amassed less than 4.5% of the vote, receiving 0.60% in 1967, 4.47% in 1993, 2.6% in 1998. A fourth referendum took place in 2012, with 61.16% voting for statehood against 33.34% for free association and 5.49% for independence. The fifth plebiscite was held in 2017, with a voter turnout of 23%, the lowest turnout of any referendum held, 97.13% of voters chose statehood, while 1.50% favored independence, which was linked to free association. A sixth referendum took place in 2020, with 52.52% voting in favor of statehood and 47.48% voting against. In 2024, a seventh referendum was held with a voter turnout of 63.58%. With 83.83% valid votes, 14.34% blank votes, and 1.23% invalid votes, 58.61% favored statehood, 29.57% free association, and 11.81% independence.
Governor
The residents of Puerto Rico have democratically elected the governor of the archipelago and island since 1948, after the passing of the Elective Governor Act of 1947. The Independence Party (PIP) received less than 6.0% of the vote share for governor in the 14 general elections held between 1960 and 2016, with its candidate finishing in the third, fourth, or fifth positions. In the 2020 general election, the party received 13.6% of the vote for the governorship, making it the most significant increase in support since the general elections of 1948, 1952, and 1956, where it respectively amassed 10.2%, 18.9%, and 12.4% of the votes, finishing in the second position in 1952, and third position in 1948 and 1956. Despite the expanded support in 2020, its candidate finished in the fourth position.
In the 2024 general elections, the PIP formed an electoral alliance, the Country Alliance, with the "anti-colonial" Citizens' Victory Movement (MVC), which received 13.92% of the vote share for governor in the 2020 general elections, the first for the party since its establishment in 2019. With 30.73% of the votes in 2024, the pro-independence movement, represented by the PIP in allience with the MVC, surpassed one of the two major parties, the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party (PPD) and the pro-statehood New Progressive Party (PNP), in the race for governor for the first time since 1968 and finished in the second position for the first time since 1952, beating the 21.44% of votes won by the PPD, and following the 41.22% of votes won by the PNP. While the PIP and MVC alliance received their largest vote share for governor in electoral history, its support collapsed by 18.92% on the concurrent 2024 status referendum, with only 11.81% of voters favoring independence. Seeking independence from the Spanish Empire
Taíno revolts
Some Modern Puerto Rican independence movements have claimed historic connection to the 16th century and the Taíno rebellion of 1511 led by Agüeybaná II. In this revolt, Agüeybaná II, the most powerful cacique of the native Taíno people of Puerto Rico at the time, together with Urayoán, cacique of Añasco, organized a revolt in 1511 against the spanish conquistadors in the southern and western parts of the island. He was joined by Guarionex, cacique of Utuado, who attacked the Villa de Sotomayor (Sotomayor Village) in present-day Aguada, killing 80 Spanish settlers. First explorer and governor of Puerto Rico, Juan Ponce de León, led the Spaniards in a series of offensives that culminated in the Battle of Yagüecas. Agüeybaná II's people, who were armed only with spears, bows, and arrows, were no match for the guns of the Spanish forces, resulting in Agüeybaná II being shot and killed in the battle. The revolt ultimately failed, and many Taíno either committed suicide or fled to the interior, mountainous regions of the island."Land Tenure Development in Puerto Rico" , University of Maine"Puerto Rico's First People" , Extra News website
Puerto Rican revolts Several revolts against the Spanish rulers by the native born, or Criollos, occurred in the 19th century. These include the conspiracy at San Germán in 1809,Schwab, Gail M. The French Revolution of 1789 and Its Impact. Greenwood Publishing Group, 1995. . p. 268 and the uprisings of people in Ciales, San Germán and Sabana Grande in 1898.Ayala, César J. Puerto Rico in the American Century: A History Since 1898, UNC Press, 2007. . P.343
Many Puerto Ricans became inspired by the ideals of Simón Bolívar to liberate South America from Spanish rule. Bolívar sought to create a federation of Latin American nations, to include Puerto Rico and Cuba. Brigadier General Antonio Valero de Bernabé, also known as "The Liberator from Puerto Rico", fought for the independence of South America together with Bolívar; he also wanted an independent Puerto Rico.
María de las Mercedes Barbudo, the first female Puerto Rican Independentista, joined forces with the Venezuelan government, under the leadership of Simón Bolívar, to lead an insurrection against the Spanish colonial forces in Puerto Rico."María de las Mercedes – La primera Independentista Puertorriquena" , 80 GradosMeaning of "Independentista" , Spanish-English Dictionary The Spanish occupation forces were the object of more than thirty conspiracies. Some, like the Lares uprising, the riots and sedition of 1897 and the Secret Societies at the end of the 19th century, became popular rebellions. The most widespread popular revolts, however, were the one in Lares in 1868, and the one in Yauco in 1897.
In 1868, the Grito de Lares (Cry of Lares) took place, in which revolutionaries occupied the town of Lares and declared the independence of the Republic of Puerto Rico on September 23, 1868. Ramón Emeterio Betances was the leader of this revolt. Earlier, Segundo Ruiz Belvis and Betances had founded the Comité Revolucionario de Puerto Rico (Revolutionary Committee of Puerto Rico) from their exile in the New York. Betances wrote several Proclamas, or statements attacking the exploitation of the Puerto Ricans by the Spanish colonial system, and called for immediate insurrection. These statements were rapidly circulated throughout the island as local dissident groups began to organize.
Most dissidents were Criollos (born on the island). The critical state of the economy, along with the increasing repression imposed by the Spanish, served as catalysts for the rebellion. The stronghold of the movement were towns located on the mountains of the west of the island. The rebels looted local stores and offices owned by peninsulares (Spanish-born residents) and took over the city hall. They took as prisoners Spanish merchants and local government officials. The revolutionaries placed their revolutionary flag on the high altar of the church to signify that the revolution had begun.The Women from Puerto Rico. Mariana Bracetti . Retrieved on September 26, 2007. The Republic of Puerto Rico was proclaimed, and Francisco Ramírez Medina was proclaimed interim president. The revolutionaries offered immediate freedom to any slave who would join them.
In the next town, San Sebastián del Pepino, the Grito de Lares (Cry of Lares) revolutionaries encountered heavy resistance from the Spanish militia and retreated to Lares. The Spanish militia rounded up the rebels and quickly brought the insurrection to an end. The government imprisoned some 475 rebels, and a military court imposed the death penalty, for treason and sedition, on all the prisoners. But in Madrid, Eugenio María de Hostos and other prominent Puerto Ricans were successful in interceding, and the national government ordered a general amnesty and release of all the prisoners. Numerous leaders, such as Betances, Rojas, Lacroix, Aurelio Méndez and others, were sent into exile."Grito de Lares" , Puerto Rico Encyclopedia
In 1896, a group of residents of Yauco who supported independence joined forces to overthrow the Spanish government in the island. The group was led by Antonio Mattei Lluberas, a wealthy coffee plantation owner, and Mateo Mercado. Later that year, the local Civil Guard discovered their plans and arrested all those involved. They were soon released and allowed to return home.Héctor Andrés Negroni, Historia militar de Puerto Rico;Pages: 305–06; Publisher: Sociedad Estatal Quinto Centenario (1992); Language: Spanish;
In 1897, Lluberas traveled to New York City and visited the Puerto Rican Revolutionary Committee, which included the exiled group from the Grito de Lares (Cry of Lares) revolt of 1868. They made plans for a major coup in Puerto Rico. Lluberas returned to Puerto Rico with the new revolutionary flag of Puerto Rico adopted by the committee in 1895, the current flag of the island, to be flown at the coup."Historia militar de Puerto Rico"; by Héctor Andrés Negroni (Author); Pages: 307; Publisher: Sociedad Estatal Quinto Centenario (1992); Language: Spanish; The Mayor of Yauco, Francisco Lluch Barreras, learned of the planned uprising, and notified the island's Spanish governor. When Fidel Velez, one of the separatist leaders, learned that the word was out, he met with other leaders and forced them to begin the insurrection immediately.