---
This week, at-large Rep. José Aponte Hernández commended the success of the statehood choice during the Election Day status consultation, which, with 91.35% of ballots counted, secured 56.82% (528,379 votes).
The seasoned pro-statehood legislator also urged Pablo José Hernández Rivera, poised to become Puerto Rico’s next resident commissioner, to advocate for statehood in Congress as per the voters’ directive.
“My public service journey has been dedicated to attaining equal rights for U.S. citizens residing in Puerto Rico,” stated the former speaker of the House of Representatives in a written statement. “Statehood is the only path to accomplish this goal. Yesterday (Tuesday), the People, the actual sovereign in our democratic framework, voiced their decision loudly. The sentiments expressed yesterday reaffirmed the mandates from 2012, 2017, and 2020 to address the colonial issue within Congress.”
As per data from the State Elections Commission, the independence option garnered 30.85% of the votes, while free association attained 12.3%.
“These figures clearly indicate a substantial reality: the majority supports statehood, and in a democracy, the majority rules,” Aponte remarked. “It is the responsibility of all elected representatives, including the Resident Commissioner in Washington, to carry out the mandate that the People of Puerto Rico expressed at the polls yesterday.”
