- Jul 12, 2018
- 9,805
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COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR |
PUBLIC STATEMENT |
Yesterday I spoke over the telephone with President Gore. He informed me that the government of Spain is making a concerted, covert effort to annex Puerto Rico. President Gore assured me that the Federal Government will not, under any circumstances, consider ceding Puerto Rico to Spain or any other nation. He also assured me that the full might of the United States armed forces are available and ready to defend Puerto Rico and the rest of the United States should these hostile demands from Spain continue.
I took office as Governor of Puerto Rico to continue what I started as Mayor of San Juan: lifting more Puerto Ricans out of poverty and improving education on the island so that our children can have a chance at a better future. However, as Governor and as an American Citizen, it is my duty to state that our government will resist any effort by any foreign state to sew discontent between Puerto Rico and the Federal Government. I was elected with a mandate from the Puerto Rican people to, among other things, maintain our island's status as a Commonwealth and part of the United States of America. Should there ever come a time where Puerto Rico would wish to change its status and become a State or to explore the prospect of independence, the Puerto Rican government will only act within the bounds of the law and the measures set forth by the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Puerto Rico.
I am deeply concerned that the Spanish government would try to subjugate our island and our people, especially without any mandate or conversation with the Puerto Rican government. To be clear, however, there is nothing to negotiate or discuss. Puerto Rico is part of the United States and Puerto Ricans are American citizens. Today I will be meeting with members of Legislative Assembly as well as the Adjutant General of the Puerto Rican National Guard. We will be discussing ways we can better work with the Federal Government to improve Puerto Rico and protect ourselves from this kind of foreign aggression.
I fully support President Gore's decision to expel the Spanish Ambassador from Washington, but I pray that the Spanish government will change its tone, apologize for this outrageous diplomatic incident, and recognize that Puerto Rico is part of the United States and that no one but us, and the United States Congress, can change our current status.
Sila Calderón
Governor of Puerto Rico
I took office as Governor of Puerto Rico to continue what I started as Mayor of San Juan: lifting more Puerto Ricans out of poverty and improving education on the island so that our children can have a chance at a better future. However, as Governor and as an American Citizen, it is my duty to state that our government will resist any effort by any foreign state to sew discontent between Puerto Rico and the Federal Government. I was elected with a mandate from the Puerto Rican people to, among other things, maintain our island's status as a Commonwealth and part of the United States of America. Should there ever come a time where Puerto Rico would wish to change its status and become a State or to explore the prospect of independence, the Puerto Rican government will only act within the bounds of the law and the measures set forth by the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Puerto Rico.
I am deeply concerned that the Spanish government would try to subjugate our island and our people, especially without any mandate or conversation with the Puerto Rican government. To be clear, however, there is nothing to negotiate or discuss. Puerto Rico is part of the United States and Puerto Ricans are American citizens. Today I will be meeting with members of Legislative Assembly as well as the Adjutant General of the Puerto Rican National Guard. We will be discussing ways we can better work with the Federal Government to improve Puerto Rico and protect ourselves from this kind of foreign aggression.
I fully support President Gore's decision to expel the Spanish Ambassador from Washington, but I pray that the Spanish government will change its tone, apologize for this outrageous diplomatic incident, and recognize that Puerto Rico is part of the United States and that no one but us, and the United States Congress, can change our current status.
Sila Calderón
Governor of Puerto Rico
