Puerto Rico

After the events of 1808, San Juan´s authorities, capital of Puerto Rico, immediately obey the following governments of the Peninsula. As Cuba, once the entry of silver coming from Mexico stopped, an economical crisis will take place into the island.

Smaller and poorer than Cuba, Puerto Rico gets to increase its production and to issue some political and trade sector reforms thanks to Ramón Power Giralt (San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1775-Cadiz, 1813) and Alejandro Ramikrez Blanco (Alaejos, Valladolid, 1777- La Habana, Cuba, 1821). The island will result in the refugee of the Spaniards expelled from the continent due to the insurgents movements. The exiles that have experience and know tax collecting will drive the territory to an economical and population growth. During the Liberal Trienniun contrary to the Spanish´s domains, a series of protests take place lead by Pedro Dubois (?, -Puerto Rico, 1822) that counted on New York´s support and on numerous pirates from Colombia and Venezuela that were keep still due to North American´s protection over their interests.

In 1823, Miguel de la Torre, Count of Torrepando is appointed as General of Puerto Rico, who will have total control over the administration. The liberal creoles take advantage in order to claim an administrative reform that Madrid will reject. From now on a series of uprisings and events such as the ignorance of a boricua delegate at courts will evolve towards independence claiming.

Despotism showed by the Spanish authorities of the island will confront them to those in favor of the independence and those in favor of autonomy. The liberal leaders that were expelled from the country will start to plan the independence from exile at the United States and Santo Domingo. In 1868 takes place an independence failed attempt known as Grito de Lares.

During the following years, constitutional liberties are employed on the territory and two political parties get established, court representatives are chosen and province council establishes. In the elections of 1871 the Puerto Rican congressmen get the municipal reform, slavery abolition and the complete application of the constitution. These achievements wont like to the españolistas. In the 1874 Restoration, all the reform laws are abrogated and start a dynamic of governments held by captain generals with absolute power.

In the decade of 1880, a liberal division takes place among those seeking for autonomy and those who on the contrary, seek for full integration and Spanish citizenship. The group of the independents had greater amount of people. As Cuba, the autonomy status arrives in 1897, but the declaration of war from the United States already had taken place. After a bombing in San Juan, the island is occupied in only few days by the North Americans. After the Treaty of Paris from 1898, a military administration establishes in the island.