The Libertarian Party, founded in 1971, is the third largest political party in the United States just as the Independence Party is the third largest party in Puerto Rico. With about 7% of voters describing themselves as Libertarians and no Libertarian candidates ever elected for national offices, the Libertarian Party performs just about as well as the Independence Party. But a new book from Libertarian Jose Rivera Nevis supports not independence but statehood.
Libertarianism focuses on individual liberty, limited government, and the right to self-determination. At first glance, this might look like a viewpoint compatible with independence, but on closer examination, the connection with statehood becomes obvious. What’s more, an addendum to the book by Diego H. Cadenas unflinchingly points out that calls for both independence and free association (another form of independence) have no grounding in practical reality.
What’s wrong with territory status from a Libertarian point of view?
Rivera Nevis looks at Puerto Rico today and sees a stagnant economy, limited political representation, a colonial relationship with the United States, and a collapsing infrastructure, all created by colonial dependency and a lack of economic freedom.
“While Puerto Ricans are citizens of the United States,” he writes, “they do not have the ability to vote in presidential elections, nor do they have congressional voting representatives. The absence of these democratic practices undermines the very core of the representative system as well as the Libertarian notion of self-governance.”
The solution? Statehood.
“Statehood is the only remedy achievable within the framework of laws governing Puerto Rico,” Rivera Nevis explains. “For Puerto Rico, statehood is not about assimilation, but rather about protecting their unique identity, while providing them the political autonomy necessary to call it self-governance.”
“All Puerto Ricans must do is have their basic political rights granted and the Puerto Rican people would have the incentive to engage deeply in the federal political system,” he continues. “By achieving statehood, citizens will finally be able to access the levers of n national power and responsibility, completely transforming the current state of disillusionment.”
How to get from here to there
Rivera Nevis calls for a federally-sponsored, binding status referendum. This is what the Puerto Rico Status Act demanded, and that bill passed the House in 2022. He believes that the seven non-binding plebiscites — although plebiscites normally are non-binding, almost by definition — have reinforced the idea that Congress is free to ignore the demands of the people. At the same time, “The steady yes for statehood from Puerto Rico’s people carries real moral punch,” he says. “They now echo was a raw, steady plea for the same rights Americans enjoy on the mainland, and ask Congress to stop looking away.”
The Libertarian plan to get Congress to stop looking away? On the one hand, he wants a Libertarian reform of the local government, with bold deregulation, strong punishment of corruption, even-handed tax laws, and decentralization. “Puerto Rico is poised to take the lead,” he says, “not as a dependent state or territory, but as a dynamic, self-reliant, creatively empowered, and economically flourishing star in the American constellation.”
Along with that extensive reform, he favors intense work toward statehood. It should be “front and center” in every election. it should be a clear project with written-down rules and deadlines demonstrating its legitimacy, and it should be supported by “an unbroken wave of calls, letters, and downright stubborn visits” to Congress as well as grass-roots connections with voters.
The outcome
Rivera Nevis points to historical precedent to show that a Libertarian vision of statehood would work out well for Puerto Rico. “Joining the Union as a state would bring a stronger economy, and a solid economy is what keeps culture alive,” he writes. “Being treated as a colony has kept Puerto Rico trapped in cycles of uncertainty, making it hard to fund museums, pay writers and artists, or let families plan for the future. ..With money, stability, and equal status, Puerto Rico’s music, stories, dance, and crafts could stop just surviving and start thriving.”
The book
The book is The 51st State: A Libertarian Path for Puerto Rico’s Economic Revival and Statehood. The author is Jose Rivera Nevis and the book is available at Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and a range of independent booksellers.
One response
Thank you so much for taking the time to read The 51st State and share your thoughts. Writing this book was both a personal and intellectual journey for me, and hearing how it resonates (or even where it sparks debate) means a great deal.
My goal was never to prescribe a single answer, but to open up a conversation about Puerto Rico’s future and what statehood could mean in terms of equality, representation, and opportunity. Every perspective, whether supportive or critical, adds value to that dialogue.
I deeply appreciate your engagement with the book, and I hope it encourages more readers to reflect on the question of Puerto Rico’s place within the Union. At its core, this isn’t just a political issue it’s about people, identity, and fairness.
Thank you again for reading and for contributing to this important discussion.
Respectfully,
Jose A. Rivera Neris, M.A.
Author, The 51st State