Government of Puerto Rico facts for kids
The Government of Puerto Rico works like a republican government. This means its power comes from the people. It has a system called separation of powers, which divides government work into different parts. Puerto Rico's government is under the control of the United States.
The Constitution of Puerto Rico explains how the government works. This constitution was created because Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. The powers of Puerto Rico's government are given to it by the U.S. Congress. The President of the United States is the head of state for Puerto Rico.
The government has three main parts, called branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The executive branch is led by the governor, who is also the head of government. The legislative branch has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The governor and lawmakers are chosen by people's votes every four years.
The judicial branch is led by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico's laws mix ideas from civil law and common law. Judges are chosen by the governor and must be approved by the Senate.
Contents
History of Puerto Rico's Government
Puerto Rico became part of the United States after the Spanish–American War. This happened because of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 with Spain. In 1900, the Foraker Act set up the first civilian government for the island. Later, the Jones–Shafroth Act of 1917 changed how the government was organized.
The U.S. government allowed Puerto Rico to write its own constitution in 1950. In 1951, Puerto Ricans voted to hold a meeting to write this constitution. They elected people to attend this meeting. The new constitution was finished on February 6, 1952. People in Puerto Rico then voted to approve it on March 3, 1952.
The United States government approved a changed version of the constitution in 1952. On July 10, 1952, the group that wrote the constitution met again. They agreed to the changes the U.S. government wanted. On July 25, 1952, Governor Luis Muñoz Marín announced that the Constitution of Puerto Rico was officially in use.
Executive Branch
The executive branch is in charge of managing public money and providing services. These services include things like roads, schools, and healthcare. It is the biggest part of the government. It is also the largest employer in Puerto Rico, with over 150,000 workers.
The Governor's Role
The head of government is the Governor of Puerto Rico. The governor is elected by the people every four years. This job is much like a governor of a U.S. state. The governor is responsible for the overall well-being of Puerto Rico. The official home of the governor is La Fortaleza. It is the oldest executive mansion in the Western Hemisphere that is still used.
The Governor can choose people to lead government agencies and be judges. These choices must be approved by the Senate. The Governor also has power over the Puerto Rico National Guard.
Puerto Rico does not have a Lieutenant Governor. However, the Secretary of the Puerto Rico State Department can act as governor. This happens if the governor is away or cannot do their job. If the governor's job becomes permanently empty, the Secretary takes over for the rest of the term.
Acting Governor
Article IV of the Constitution of Puerto Rico says that the Secretary of State acts as governor. This happens when the Governor is not available. The Constitution and Puerto Rican law also list other officials who can take over. This is called the governmental line of succession.
The Cabinet
Article IV of the Constitution of Puerto Rico states that the Governor gets help from Secretaries. These Secretaries form the Governor's advisory council. This group is often called the Cabinet.
The Cabinet includes Secretaries required by the Constitution. It also includes Secretaries created by other Puerto Rican laws or chosen by the Governor. These groups are not separate agencies. They are just names used for easy talking about the officials.
All Cabinet members are chosen by the Governor. Then, the Senate must approve them with a simple majority vote. Once approved, they take an oath and start their work. All members are called Secretary.
Cabinet members serve as long as the Governor wants them to. The Governor can remove them or move them to other jobs.
Executive Departments
The Governor gives the job of carrying out laws to 16 executive departments. These departments were created by the Constitution or by law. They handle specific areas of government. The leaders of these departments are chosen by the governor and approved by the Senate. (The Secretary of State needs approval from both the Senate and the House). These leaders form the Governor's Cabinet.
The Constitution says there must be at least 8 departments. These include the Departments of State, Justice, Education, and Health. Over the years, Puerto Rico's government has added more departments. This is because the population and public needs have grown. These new departments are created by public law.
The head of each executive department is called a Secretary. This position is also created by law. The media and public often call them "Cabinet members," but this is not their official title. All Cabinet-level Secretaries are first chosen by the Governor. Then, the legislative assembly must approve them.
Each department has different divisions, agencies, bureaus, and offices. Each part has specific duties. They work to provide necessary services to people all over the island.
Government-Owned Corporations
Puerto Rico has also created several government-owned corporations. These companies provide basic public services to citizens. Examples include electricity, water, and transportation. These corporations are separate from the government itself. However, the government owns almost all of their stock. Each corporation is led by an Executive Director. This director is chosen by the corporation's Board of Directors. The directors are chosen by the Governor and approved by the legislative assembly.
These government-owned corporations get their own money and pay their own bills. But some have had money problems. They have often needed help from the government to cover their losses. For example, the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) had big losses. It needed government help to avoid going bankrupt. This help is like a transfer of money, not a loan that the government expects back.
Government-owned corporations can also sell securities, like bonds, to get money. This helps them pay for public projects and improvements. This way, they do not have to rely on the government's credit. However, some, like PRASA, have had such bad money problems that they could not sell bonds. In those cases, they had to use government bonds to pay for improvements.
Legislative Branch
The legislative branch is responsible for making laws for Puerto Rico. It is called the Legislative Assembly. This branch has two parts, making it a bicameral legislature.
The two parts are:
- The Senate: This is the "upper house."
- The House of Representatives: This is the "lower house."
Members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives are chosen by people's votes. They are elected every four years during general elections.
Judicial Branch
The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting laws and making sure they are fair. It handles legal cases and disputes.
The highest court in Puerto Rico is the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. The leader of this branch is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico's legal system uses a mix of two main types of law:
- Civil law: This system relies on written laws and codes.
- Common law: This system uses past court decisions as guides for new cases.
Judges in the judicial branch are chosen by the governor. Their appointments must be approved by the Senate.
Images for kids
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South view of the Puerto Rico Capitol, home of the Legislative Assembly.
See also
In Spanish: Gobierno del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico para niños
