---
On Monday, New Progressive Party Representative José Aponte Hernández claimed that Juan Dalmau Ramírez, who sought the governorship last year under the “Alliance” of the Puerto Rican Independence Party and the Citizen Victory Movement, misled Congressional members regarding the outcome of the status plebiscite conducted in Puerto Rico on November 5.
“The candidate affiliated with the notorious ‘independence junta’ traveled to the federal capital in late November to assert that the independence movement had secured over 30% of the status votes, a statement that was not accurate and he was aware of it,” Aponte stated in a written declaration. “His aspiration for significance led him to convey untrue information to congressmen and their aides.”
“Statehood won with 59% of the votes; this represents a significant majority,” the seasoned legislator observed. “This is the message we intend to share in the coming days with the new Congress.”
Statehood achieved a dominant position in the non-binding plebiscite with 58.61% (620,782 votes), while free association was second at 29.57% (313,259), and independence received 11.82% (125,171).
Aponte has arranged a series of discussions in Washington over the next few days to advocate for equality, push for congressional action, present the State Elections Commission’s certification of the plebiscite results, and further advance the implementation of the people’s preference for statehood.
