Did puerto rico became a state?

While becoming a state would give Puerto Rico additional rights, it would also mean people there would have to pay federal income taxes for the first time. That would be an additional burden on Puerto Ricans who are already struggling to pay enough in taxes to cover the island's debts. read more

Puerto Rico is officially a US Commonwealth. The island came under US control in 1898 after the Spanish-American War, but it wasn't until 1952 that Puerto Rico and the United States officially approved a federal law making it a commonwealth. read more

Puerto Rico is designated in its constitution as the "Commonwealth of Puerto Rico". The Constitution of Puerto Rico which became effective in 1952 adopted the name of Estado Libre Asociado (literally translated as "Free Associated State"), officially translated into English as Commonwealth, for its body politic. read more

Therefore, the Constitution did not apply to them, and Puerto Rico became an “unincorporated territory” with no path forward to statehood. In addition, the U.S. disrupted Puerto Rico’s coffee industry, implementing a sugar economy and creating massive poverty among the population. read more

Why Puerto Rico might become the 51st state Puerto Ricans voted overwhelmingly Sunday to become the 51st U.S. state, but there is no celebrating yet. Only Congress can make Puerto Rico a state, and there's little appetite to do that right now. read more