Washington 2026: Our Next Steps for Puerto Rico’s Right to Decide

Dear Friends and Supporters,

First and foremost, thank you once again to everyone who has signed our petition and helped bring greater attention to the discussion surrounding Puerto Rico’s political future.

Tomorrow, members of our delegation will meet to continue organizing and preparing for our planned visit to Washington, D.C. in October. Our objective is to meet with congressional and Senate offices before the 2026 midterm elections and present a serious, organized, and well-documented proposal concerning Puerto Rico’s next self-determination process.

As part of those discussions, our delegation intends to raise several specific objectives:

• BALLOT INCLUSION
We will present the case for including reunification with Spain as a clearly defined option alongside the other political-status alternatives in Puerto Rico’s next referendum.

• A FEDERALLY AUTHORIZED AND BINDING REFERENDUM
We believe Congress should ultimately establish a federally recognized process in which the result is binding and accompanied by a clearly defined path for implementation.

• PARTICIPATION OF PUERTO RICANS LIVING OUTSIDE THE ISLAND
We will ask Congress to examine whether Puerto Ricans who were displaced from the Island, including the large number who relocated after Hurricane Maria, should be permitted to participate in a future status referendum while residing elsewhere in the United States or abroad.

• A REFERENDUM HELD SEPARATELY FROM GENERAL ELECTIONS
We will advocate for any future status referendum to be conducted independently from Puerto Rico’s regular general elections so that the status question can be considered on its own merits rather than becoming intertwined with local party contests.

• INDEPENDENT PUBLIC EDUCATION
We will also propose that Congress provide resources for a comprehensive public education campaign explaining every approved status option, its constitutional implications, and the potential consequences of each choice.

That educational process should be administered by an independent and nonpartisan entity rather than by any of Puerto Rico’s political parties, helping ensure that voters receive balanced information and reducing the possibility of partisan influence over the educational process.

Our work continues on several fronts. We are preparing the White Paper that will serve as the foundation of our congressional presentation, strengthening our coalition, conducting historical and constitutional research, developing public outreach, and preparing for the October delegation.

To everyone who has signed the petition, shared information, followed our work, asked questions, or contributed research and ideas: thank you.

This is a continuing process, and we will keep you informed as our preparation for Washington moves forward.

The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative
TNPRSI