Formation of the Nationalist Party Independence movement in Puerto Rico

the main political parties in puerto rico have supported continuing relationship united states , been supported electorate. 1940s voters had elected majority of ppd members in legislature. in 1952 voted 82% in support of new constitution of estado libre associado or commonwealth. sixty years later, in 2012 majority of voted on second question of referendum, indicate type of arrangement preferred, voted seek admission state united states. 61.16% voted statehood, 33.34% voted free association , 5.49% voted independence. hundreds of thousands of voters abstained question, proportion of voters 45% rather majority.

in 1919, puerto rico had 2 major organizations supported independence: nationalist youth , independence association. in 1919, josé coll y cuchí, member of union party of puerto rico, left party , formed nationalist association of puerto rico. in 1922, these 3 political organizations joined forces , formed puerto rican nationalist party, coll y cuchi party president. party s chief goal achieve independence united states. in 1924 dr. pedro albizu campos joined party , named vice-president.

dr. pedro albizu campos advocated armed revolution achieve independence

on may 11, 1930, dr. pedro albizu campos elected president of nationalist party. under leadership, in 1930s party became largest independence movement in puerto rico. but, after disappointing electoral outcomes , strong repression territorial police, mid-1930s albizu opted against electoral political process. advocated violent revolution means achieve independence.

in 1932, pro-independence liberal party of puerto rico founded antonio r. barceló. liberal party s political agenda same of original union party, urging independence puerto rico. among joined him in new party felisa rincón de gautier , ernesto ramos antonini.

by 1932 luis muñoz rivera s son, luis muñoz marín, had joined liberal party. muñoz marín first democratically elected governor of puerto rico.

during 1932 elections, liberal party faced alliance, coalition of republican party of puerto rico , santiago iglesias pantin s socialist party. barceló , muñoz marín both elected senators. 1936, differences between muñoz marín , barceló began surface, between followers considered muñoz marín true leader , considered barceló leader.

muñoz marín , followers, included felisa rincón de gautier , ernesto ramos antonini, held assembly in town of arecibo found partido liberal, neto, auténtico y completo (clear, authentic , complete liberal party), later named people s democratic party (ppd spanish name).

during 1930s , 1940s, nationalist partisans took part in violent incidents:

on april 6, 1932, nationalist partisans marched capitol building in san juan protest legislative proposal approve present puerto rican flag, official flag of insular government. nationalists preferred flag used during grito de lares.
on october 24, 1935, confrontation police @ university of puerto rico, río piedras campus, killed 4 puerto rican nationalist party supporters , 1 policeman. event came known río piedras massacre.
on february 23, 1936, colonel elisha francis riggs, formerly of army , highest police officer in island, assassinated in retaliation río piedras events nationalists hiram rosado , elías beauchamp. rosado , beauchamp arrested, , summarily executed without trial @ police headquarters in san juan.


elias beauchamp gives cadet military salute, moments before being executed @ police headquarters



on march 21, 1937, march in ponce puerto rican nationalist party, organized commemorate ending of slavery in puerto rico, resulted in deaths of 17 unarmed citizens , 2 policemen @ hands of territorial police, event known ponce massacre.
in 1936, u.s. senator millard tydings presented legislative proposal grant independence puerto rico, many people believed had unfavorable economic conditions. barceló , liberal party favored bill, because give puerto rico independence; muñoz marín opposed bill because wanted puerto rico s immediate independence favorable conditions.
on july 25, 1938, shots fired @ colonial governor, blanton winship during parade; killed police colonel luis irizarry. afterward, 2 nationalist partisans attempted assassinate robert cooper, judge of federal court in puerto rico. winship tried suppress nationalists.
on june 10, 1948, united states-appointed governor of puerto rico, jesús t. piñero, signed law bill passed puerto rican senate, controlled elected ppd representatives. prohibited discussion of independence, fighting liberation of island, , curtailed other puerto rican independence activities. ley de la mordaza (gag law) or law 53 officially known, made illegal display puerto rican flag, or sing patriotic song.




^ article 2.003(54), puerto rico election code 21st century, act no. 78 of 2011 (in english). retrieved on august 10, 2014.
^ antonio barcelo . retrieved 1 october 2014. 
^ puerto rico por encima de todo: vida y obra de antonio r. barceló, 1868-1938; by: dr. delma s. arrigoitia; page 292; publisher: ediciones puerto (january 2008); isbn 978-1-934461-69-3
^ puerto ricans: documentary history, markus wiener publishers, 2008p179
^ strategy politics; jorge rodriguez beruff; publisher: universidad de puerto rico; pg. 178; isbn 0-8477-0160-3
^ bosque pérez, ramón (2006). puerto rico under colonial rule. suny press. p. 71. isbn 978-0-7914-6417-5. retrieved 2009-03-17.