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2016 presidential candidates on Puerto Rico

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This page was current as of the 2016 election.

See below what the2016 presidential candidates and their respective party platforms said about Puerto Rican debt, statehood, and politics.

Interested in reading more about the 2016 candidates' stances on issues related to Puerto Rico? Ballotpedia also covered what the candidates said aboutbudgets andConstitutional rights.

OVERVIEW OF CANDIDATE POSITIONS
  • Hillary Clinton backedPROMESA but expressed concern with the composition of the independent oversight committee. She also supported self-determination on the issue of Puerto Rican statehood.
  • Donald Trump opposed bailing out Puerto Rico and argued that the island would benefit from reducing its bonds.
  • Jill Stein supported assisting Puerto Rico through a bailout similar to the one the auto industry inDetroit received.
  • In 2016, Ballotpedia was unaware of any public statements made byGary Johnson on Puerto Rico.

    • Democratic candidate

    Democratic PartyHillary Clinton

    caption
    • On May 20, 2016, Clinton released a statement of support with some reservations forS 2328 - Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act or PROMESA.[1] She again endorsed the bill when it was passed in theU.S. Senate on June 29, 2016, writing, "The bill the Senate passed today is the best chance we have of averting a fiscal crisis on July 1. The bill is by no means perfect, and I continue to have serious concerns about some of the provisions it contains. That’s why, as this bill is implemented, I will continue to stand with the people of Puerto Rico to ensure that the oversight board created by this legislation is made up of members who will act in the best interest of Puerto Ricans, and protect their health care, pensions, wages, and well-being."[2]
    • In April 2016, Clinton sent two of her advisers,Amanda Renteria andAnn O’Leary, to Puerto Rico "on a fact-finding mission to learn more about how Zika is impacting the island, and to determine what more we can do to assist Puerto Rico in responding to this health crisis."[3]
    • The Clinton campaign released a list of Clinton's positions on Puerto Rico's economy in April 2016:[4]
      • Clinton expressed support for Congress allowing Puerto Rico to restructure its debt while maintaining its autonomy.
      • She supported self-determination in Puerto Rico. "She will make sure all stakeholders do their part to hold a plebiscite on any proposal that the Government of Puerto Rico puts to voters, as long as it is federally sanctioned and compatible with the Constitution, laws, and basic policies of the United States. And Hillary will ensure that Congress honors whatever the people of Puerto Rico decide, because all people have the right to a form of government that is representative at all levels of government," according to the factsheet.
      • Clinton backed "increasing the share of Medicaid paid for by the federal government and stopping the cuts to Medicare Advantage" in Puerto Rico.
    • In August 1999, former PresidentBill Clinton offered conditional clemency to 16 members of the Armed Forces of National Liberation, a Puerto Rican nationalist group suspected of several bombings in the U.S. from 1974 to 1983.[5] Hillary Clinton, then the first lady, opposed their release in a statement on September 4, 1999. "When the administration first offered these prisoners clemency, I made it very clear that I had no involvement in or prior knowledge of the decision, as is entirely appropriate, and that the prisoners should not be released unless they renounced violence," Clinton wrote. She continued, "It's been three weeks and their silence speaks volumes. I believe the offer of clemency should be withdrawn."[6]
    • Read more of Hillary Clinton's public statements on 2016 campaign issues.
    The 2016 Democratic Party Platform on Puerto Rico
    “Fighting for the People of Puerto Rico

    And we are committed to addressing the extraordinary challenges faced by our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico. Many stem from the fundamental question of Puerto Rico’s political status. Democrats believe that the people of Puerto Rico should determine their ultimate political status from permanent options that do not conflict with the Constitution, laws, and policies of the United States. Democrats are committed to promoting economic opportunity and good-paying jobs for the hardworking people of Puerto Rico. We also believe that Puerto Ricans must be treated equally by Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs that benefit families. Puerto Ricans should be able to vote for the people who make their laws, just as they should be treated equally. All American citizens, no matter where they reside, should have the right to vote for the President of the United States. Finally, we believe that federal officials must respect Puerto Rico’s local self-government as laws are implemented and Puerto Rico’s budget and debt are restructured so that it can get on a path towards stability and prosperity.[7]

    		”
    —2016 Democratic Party Platform[8]

    Republican candidate

    Republican PartyDonald Trump

    caption
    • In a May 4, 2016, interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer,Donald Trump said that the United States should not bail out Puerto Rico. He continued, "I know more about debt than practically anybody. I love debt. I also love reducing debt. And I know how to do it better than anybody. I will tell you, Puerto Rico has too much debt. So you can't just restructure it. You have to use the laws. You have to cut the debt way down and get back to business, because they can't survive with the kind of debt they have."[9] The following day, he said in an interview that he believed Puerto Rico should restructure its debt and "let the bondholders take a hit.”[10]
    • Read more of Donald Trump's public statements on 2016 campaign issues.
    The 2016 Republican Party Platform on Puerto Rico
    “The Territory of Puerto Rico

    We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state. We further recognize the historic significance of the 2012 local referendum in which a 54 percent majority voted to end Puerto Rico’s current status as a U.S. territory, and 61 percent chose statehood over options for sovereign nationhood. We support the federally sponsored political status referendum authorized and funded by an Act of Congress in 2014 to ascertain the aspirations of the people of Puerto Rico. Once the 2012 local vote for statehood is ratified, Congress should approve an enabling act with terms for Puerto Rico’s future admission as the 51st state of the Union.[7]

    		”
    —2016 Republican Party Platform[11]

    Green candidate

    Green PartyJill Stein

    caption
    • In a Facebook live video on July 12, 2016,Jill Stein said that it was "time to stop colonizing Puerto Rico." She continued, "It's time to stop exploiting Puerto Rico, which is the same thing as colonizing. Puerto Rico has provided a more-or-less tax-free environment for U.S. corporations for quite some time. It has provided low-wage workers. Corporations have been free to pollute in Puerto Rico to devastating impact. I think it's time to repay the burden that we have imposed on Puerto Rico. It's time to actually support a bailout for Puerto Rico, as was done, for example, for the auto industry in Detroit." Stein said such a bailout could be financed by reducing military spending.[12]
    • On the subject of Puerto Rican autonomy, Stein also said in her July 2016 Facebook Live video, "I believe we need to give Puerto Rico a real chance to contemplate what kind of a future it wants and what kind of an arrangement is going to work for it. But the overarching issue here is that we don't want an economic control board. ... We need to have democracy rule the day in Puerto Rico."[12]
    • Stein condemned the passage ofS 2328 - Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act or PROMESA on June 30, 2016. She wrote in a press release that the deal was "good news for the hedge funds and other financial predators but bad news for Puerto Rico and their impoverished residents."[13]
    • Read more of Jill Stein's public statements on 2016 campaign issues.
    The 2016 Green Party Platform on Puerto Rico
    “The Territory of Puerto Rico

    We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state. We further recognize the historic significance of the 2012 local referendum in which a 54 percent majority voted to end Puerto Rico’s current status as a U.S. territory, and 61 percent chose statehood over options for sovereign nationhood. We support the federally sponsored political status referendum authorized and funded by an Act of Congress in 2014 to ascertain the aspirations of the people of Puerto Rico. Once the 2012 local vote for statehood is ratified, Congress should approve an enabling act with terms for Puerto Rico’s future admission as the 51st state of the Union.[7]

    		”
    —2016 Green Party Platform[14]

    Libertarian candidate

    Libertarian PartyGary Johnson

    caption
    The 2016 Libertarian Party Platform on Puerto Rico

    The 2016 Libertarian Party Platform does not mention Puerto Rico.[15]

    Recent news

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms2016 presidential candidates on Puerto Rico. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑Hillary for America, "Hillary Clinton Statement on the Proposed House Bill for Puerto Rico," May 20, 2016
    2. ↑Hillary for America, "Hillary Clinton Statement on Passage of Puerto Rico Debt Bill," June 29, 2016
    3. ↑Hillary for America, "Two Top Clinton Advisors to Travel to Puerto Rico to Discuss Impacts of Zika," April 19, 2016
    4. ↑Hillary for America, "Growing Together: Hillary Clinton’s Vision for Puerto Ricans," April 14, 2016
    5. ↑CNN, "11 Puerto Rican nationalists freed from prison," September 10, 1999
    6. ↑The Los Angeles Times, "Mrs. Clinton Against Offer of Clemency," September 5, 1999
    7. ↑7.07.17.2Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    8. ↑Democratic Party, "The 2016 Democratic Party Platform," accessed August 5, 2016
    9. ↑CNN, "The Situation Room Transcript," May 4, 2016
    10. ↑Fox News Latino, "Trump's mixed signals on Puerto Rico add confusion to Ryan's debt relief efforts," May 9, 2016
    11. ↑Republican Party, "The 2016 Republican Party Platform," accessed August 5, 2016
    12. ↑12.012.1Facebook, "Jill Stein Live," July 12, 2016
    13. ↑Jill 2016, "Stein Says Congressional Deal on Puerto Rico Continues Colonial Exploitation," June 30, 2016
    14. ↑Green Party, "The 2016 Green Party Platform on Democracy," accessed August 10, 2016
    15. ↑Libertarian Party, "The 2016 Libertarian Party Platform," accessed August 7, 2016
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