Luis Munoz Marin

Luis Muñoz Marín , 1898-1980, Puerto Rican political leader, governor of Puerto Rico (1949-65). He abandoned a career as poet and journalist in New York City to enter Puerto Rican politics. In 1938 he organized and headed the Popular Democratic party, campaigned vigorously for social and economic reform, and edited La Democracia, a San Juan daily founded by his father, Luis Muñoz Rivera . The slogan "Bread, land, and liberty" won a large following among the poor. In 1948 he won the first free popular election for the governorship of Puerto Rico, and he was reelected in 1952 and 1956. A resourceful and energetic supporter of Commonwealth status for the island, he brought about the 1952 decision that proclaimed Puerto Rico an Associated Free State. In 1960 his election was opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in Puerto Rico, which denounced him for advocating the teaching of birth control; he was easily reelected despite the opposition. He consistently championed economic expansion in close cooperation with the United States. He did not run for reelection in 1964.

Bibliography: See biographies by T. Aitken (1964) and T. G. Mathews (1967).

Puerto Rico A Caribbean island formerly under Spanish control, it came under US control during the Spanish–American War in 1898. In 1917 its inhabitants became US citizens, though they were not allowed to vote in US-wide elections, and were not subject to a national income tax. Instead, it had its own senate and a house of delegates. Public life became politicized during the 1930s, when demands for independence first emerged. In 1939 the Partido Popular Democrático (PPD, Popular Democratic Party) was founded by Rafael Luis Muñoz Marin, and won the elections in 1940. Muñoz introduced some social reforms, but was particularly notable for his success in diversifying the economy through the development of industrial enterprises. Following an abortive revolt against US rule in 1950, it received its current status in 1952 as a Commonwealth voluntarily associated with the USA. It has internal autonomy and rights similar to those of other US states. However, its member in the US House of Representatives has no voting powers, and Puerto Ricans continue to be barred from voting in national elections while being free from federal income taxation.

Muñoz retired in 1965, and from 1968 the PPD alternated in power with the breakaway Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP, New Progressive Party). Even though the two parties were very similar in their domestic policies, they differed on Puerto Rico's relationship with the USA. The PNP favoured incorporation as the 51st state of the USA, while the PPD wished to continue the current constitutional settlement. The independence movement, once strong in the 1950s, declined during the 1960s as a result of the economic prosperity which the relationship to the USA yielded. By 1993, a non-binding referendum showed that there remained only a plurality of votes in favour of the current settlement (48.4 per cent), while 46.2 per cent voted to become an equal state within the USA, and 4.4 per cent favoured independence. Throughout the 1990s domestic politics were dominated by the PNP, but the 2000 elections were won by Sila María Calderón of the PPD, which also won a majority of seats in the House of Representatives.