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The New Progressive Party (PNP), Puerto Rico’s right-wing pro-statehood faction, has entrenched itself as a major political force, creating a system that increasingly resembles a one-party state. Through manipulation of electoral laws, control over state institutions and suppression of opposition, the PNP has eroded democratic principles in the United States-occupied territory.

This monopolisation of power remains largely unchecked by the US government, which has shown little interest in intervening despite growing concerns over the island’s political trajectory.

Despite this electoral hijacking of power, Alianza de País (Country Alliance) candidate Juan Dalmau Ramírez came in a close second in the November 5 gubernatorial elections, with a historic 32.6%.

Alianza de País was between the Puerto Rico Independence Party (PIP) and the Citizen Victory Movement (MVC) to contest this year’s election.

Consolidation of power

The PNP has strategically reshaped Puerto Rico’s political landscape to ensure its continued dominance, even as the party is embroiled in corruption scandals and support for US annexation is decreasing. This has been achieved through partisan amendments to the Electoral Law, granting the PNP near-total control over the State Elections Commission (CEE).

By installing loyalists in key oversight positions, the PNP has compromised the autonomy and impartiality of the electoral process. Responsibilities such as voter registration, ballot counting and certification of results now rest in the hands of party operatives, enabling the PNP to tilt the electoral playing field in its favour.

This influence extends to other state institutions, including law enforcement and the judiciary, which have been used to suppress dissent and maintain the party’s grip on power. Police responses to protests against corruption and austerity are often heavy handed, discouraging public demonstrations. Meanwhile, the judiciary (whose judges are frequently named by the PNP) frequently upholds PNP-driven policies that undermine opposition efforts and reinforce the party’s authority and hold on power.

Electoral manipulation, judicial interference

One of the PNP’s most controversial moves to consolidate power was its manipulation of electoral processes. A recent ruling by Judge Raúl Candelario López exemplifies this trend. The judge mandated that advance votes be counted even if they reflect a mailing address different from the one registered in the Electoral Registry.

“[The CEE is ordered] to verify, validate, and adjudicate advance votes that meet identification requirements, regardless of whether the advance vote applications show a postal address different from the General Voter Registry,” the ruling stated.

This decision reversed a prior determination by CEE President Jessika Padilla Rivera, who had required verification calls to cross-check these votes. The opposition has criticised this ruling as a validation of what they describe as a scheme by the PNP to exploit mail-in voting for fraudulent purposes. Gerardo Cruz, alternate commissioner of the Popular Democratic Party, condemned the decision, calling it a continuation of tactics designed by the PNP since 2020 to manipulate mail-in ballots.

The fallout from these irregularities has left Puerto Rico in electoral limbo. More than a month after the November 5 elections, results are still being debated, scrutinised and recounted. The ongoing process has revealed additional electoral irregularities, further undermining public confidence in the integrity of the system.

The PNP’s tactics go beyond electoral manipulation. The party has hindered coalition-building among opposition groups, an essential element in Puerto Rico’s multi-party system. By discouraging alliances, the PNP ensures a divided opposition, despite lacking the support of a majority of voters. Additionally, public employees face coercion to attend PNP rallies, with non-compliance risking their employment. This system of patronage and favouritism reinforces the PNP’s influence and discourages dissent.

US indifference

Despite mounting evidence of anti-democratic practices, the US federal government has largely ignored the PNP’s actions. The party’s alignment with US political interests, particularly its neoliberal agenda, has shielded it from scrutiny. Federal authorities typically intervene only when corruption involves US federal funds, turning a blind eye to broader issues of democratic erosion.

The PNP’s dominance undermines Puerto Rico’s democratic integrity, leaving opposition parties at a disadvantage and disenfranchising much of the electorate. This lack of accountability fosters corruption, exacerbates social and economic challenges and leaves Puerto Ricans with limited avenues for meaningful political change.

However, the results of the recent plebiscite signal a shifting political landscape that does not play in the PNP’s favour. Support for national sovereignty options — independence and free association — grew to 43%, a significant increase that has drawn the attention of the US Congress and other stakeholders interested in Puerto Rico’s decolonisation. This momentum represents a growing challenge to the PNP’s narrative and its grip on power.

Path forward

Restoring democracy requires comprehensive electoral reforms, independent oversight of government institutions and greater accountability. Opposition forces, such as Alianza de País, are strategising for future elections, but the challenges posed by the PNP’s partisan electoral law and entrenched control remain immense.

Instead of the complicated and thorny mixed-voting strategy that was employed by Alianza de País this year (due to PNP electoral obstacles that prohibited proper electoral coalitions), some strategists are contemplating the possibility of forming a unified electoral block for 2028 — an umbrella party where all the Alianza de País candidates (which would include the PIP, the MVC and other political and community groups) appear under a single ticket, a move that would facilitate voting for the opposition.

These important decisions are to be decided in the upcoming months and years before 2028.

The US must fulfil its responsibility to ensure democratic principles are upheld in Puerto Rico, the oldest colony in the world. Local activism, combined with federal intervention, is essential to dismantling the PNP’s one-party state and fostering a political environment that reflects the will of the people. Without these reforms, Puerto Rico’s democratic future remains uncertain, and its status as a US colonial territory continues to be a symbol of humiliation and democratic failure.

[Javier A Hernández is a Puerto Rican writer, linguist and pro-sovereignty activist and advisor. He is the author of PREXIT: Forging Puerto Rico’s Path to Sovereignty; Puerto Rico: The Economic Case for Sovereignty; and other books and articles on Puerto Rican decolonisation and sovereignty.]