Introduction
Introduction
Puerto Rico's three political parties have united in calling for a vote on the island's future relationship with the United States. At the moment, islanders are closely divided over whether to continue the current commonwealth status or to opt for statehood, with only a small minority favoring complete independence. The U.S. Congress also is divided on the issue, however, and lawmakers may not give the islanders the chance to vote—a possibility many Puerto Ricans say would be intolerable.