The News and Times of Puerto Rico - Blog by Michael Novakhov

Puerto Rico  gov backs   statehood referendum El gobernador @ricardorossello ve con buenos ojos la iniciativa del @RobBishopUT que busca la descolonización de la Isla mediante consulta al Pueblo | vía @ElNuevoDiapic.twitter.com/y3RjNefE1V Ricardo Rossello - GNews SAN JUAN,  Puerto Rico  —  Puerto Rico ’s governor says he would back a federally sponsored referendum that asks voters whether the U.S. territory should become a state. Ricardo Rossello made the announcement on Friday after U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah asked the U.S. attorney general last week to certify such a referendum. Puerto Rico  has held five non-federal referendums, although none specifically asked people to simply vote yes or no on statehood. In the most recent referendum, held last year, nearly half a million votes were cast for statehood, about 7,600 for free association or independence and nearly 6,700 for the current territorial status. But just 23 percent of v