1952 Puerto Rican constitutional referendum

3 March 1952
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 374,649 81.88% No 82,923 18.12%

A referendum on anew constitution was held inPuerto Rico on 3 March 1952.^[1] It was approved by 82% of voters.^[2] This was considered by many American and Puerto Rican politicians an affirmation of the new constitution of thearchipelago and island as anEstado Libre Asociado, orCommonwealth, as proposed by legislation in 1950 by theUnited States Congress after negotiation with its political leaders.Puerto Rican nationalists question the meaning of the referendum, complaining that the only alternative offered was direct U.S. rule, and no choice of independence was offered. In 1980, theSupreme Court of the United States adjudicated (Harris v. Rosario) that as a result of this referendum of 1952, the actual territorial status was not changed at all.

On 1 November 1950 twoPuerto Rican Nationalists hadattempted assassinating American presidentHarry S. Truman. They claimed they were retaliating for U.S. cooperation in repressing the1950 nationalist revolts on the island. Truman's stated motive for supporting theplebiscite was that residents of the island could express their opinion of preferred status, but since independence was not offered, nationalists questioned Truman's stated motive. An overwhelming majority approved the commonwealth over the alternative of return to direct American rule.^[3]

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