The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative (NPRSI) is a bipartisan, grassroots-led organization dedicated to advancing the decolonization of Puerto Rico through autonomy within the modern Spanish state. Our advocacy work spans Puerto Rico, the U.S. Congress, the Spanish government, and international forums like the United Nations.

Below is a comprehensive overview of our policy agenda and lobbying priorities.

 Status Referendum Reform
Our top priority is to ensure that “Autonomy with Spain” is included as a valid option in the next status referendum on Puerto Rico’s future. This requires:

Legislative pressure on Puerto Rico’s Electoral Commission to design a fair and transparent ballot.

Advocacy for inclusion of diaspora Puerto Ricans—displaced by natural disasters, economic crises, and colonial mismanagement—in the voting process.

Demand for international observation and certification of the plebiscite by the United Nations and nonpartisan organizations.

We believe the people of Puerto Rico must have the opportunity to consider all viable status options, including a return to Spain under an autonomous framework—similar to the Canary Islands or Catalonia.

 Lobbying Puerto Rican Legislators
We actively lobby the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, including both the House of Representatives and Senate, to:

Pass resolutions calling for autonomy with Spain to be studied and presented to the public as a viable status option.

Establish public hearings and legislative commissions to explore the economic, legal, and cultural implications of autonomy.

Reform referendum-related laws to ensure transparency, inclusion, and fairness in all future votes.

Educate lawmakers on the historical and constitutional legal pathway to reintegration with Spain.

We urge Puerto Rican legislators to reject partisan manipulation of the status process and to support legislation that empowers Puerto Ricans with full knowledge and freedom of choice.

 Advocacy in the United States
In Washington, D.C., we work with members of Congress, particularly the:

House Natural Resources Committee

Congressional Hispanic Caucus

Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee

Our goals include:

Lobbying for congressional recognition of Puerto Rico’s right to self-determination that includes autonomy with Spain.

Repealing the Jones Act, which harms Puerto Rico’s economy by limiting maritime trade.

Dismantling the PROMESA law and eliminating the Fiscal Oversight Board, which strips Puerto Rico of fiscal control.

Ending Act 60, which incentivizes the sale of Puerto Rican land to foreign investors and displaces local residents.

We provide testimony, policy briefs, and legal research to lawmakers and staff, supporting legislation that restores sovereignty and justice to Puerto Rico.

 Advocacy in Spain
We engage the Spanish government, including the Cortes Generales (Congress and Senate), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and major political parties to:

Promote legislation recognizing Puerto Rico’s right to become an autonomous community under the Spanish Constitution.

Work with Spanish constitutional scholars and officials to draft a Statute of Autonomy for Puerto Rico.

Secure rights for Puerto Ricans to access Spanish and EU citizenship, universal healthcare, higher education, and cultural protections.

Encourage bilateral dialogue between Spain and Puerto Rican leaders.

Spain today is a modern European democracy, and its model of regional autonomy provides a realistic and equitable solution to Puerto Rico’s colonial status.

 International Advocacy
We are proud to participate in global forums including the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization. Two of our representatives—Anette Falcón and José Miguel Velázquez Cruz—have testified before the UN, calling for:

Recognition of Puerto Rico’s ongoing colonial status under U.S. law.

Inclusion of autonomy with Spain in all decolonization discussions.

Support for a fair and fully representative vote monitored by international observers.

We continue to build relationships with global human rights and self-determination movements, including organizations in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

 Policy Focus Areas
In addition to political status, NPRSI advocates for policies that address Puerto Rico’s broader structural challenges:

 Economic Justice
Remove U.S. trade restrictions (Jones Act)

End tax-haven laws (Act 60)

Secure EU funding for agriculture, infrastructure, and clean energy

Promote food sovereignty and local business development

 Healthcare & Education
Integrate Puerto Rico into Spain’s universal healthcare system

Expand tuition-free university access through EU support

Improve mental health, public health, and elder care systems

 Indigenous and Cultural Rights
Seek formal recognition of Puerto Ricans as an Indigenous people, with special emphasis on Taíno ancestry

Advocate for legal protections for Indigenous identity, sacred sites, and artifacts

Establish institutions dedicated to preserving Puerto Rican culture and history

 Public Safety & Governance
End political corruption by decentralizing power under a new autonomous government

Reform policing and gun policy using Spanish models of public safety

Promote youth civic engagement, voting rights, and political education

 Grassroots Mobilization & Digital Advocacy
Our policy efforts are supported by robust public outreach, including:

Town halls, forums, and workshops across Puerto Rico and the diaspora

Petitions and public letters to elected officials

Digital campaigns on social media, YouTube, and TikTok

Collaboration with students, Indigenous leaders, legal experts, and community groups

We believe in empowering the people through knowledge, transparency, and democratic action.

 Legislative Tools & Documents
NPRSI actively produces and distributes:

Draft Statutes of Autonomy

Sample legislation and resolutions for Puerto Rico, the U.S., and Spain

Policy papers, infographics, and presentations for stakeholders

Legal opinions from constitutional scholars and international law experts

These tools are available to legislators, journalists, academics, and the public.

The National Puerto Rico & Spain Initiative (NPRSI) is a bipartisan, grassroots-led organization dedicated to advancing the decolonization of Puerto Rico through autonomy within the modern Spanish state. Our advocacy work spans Puerto Rico, the U.S. Congress, the Spanish government, and international forums like the United Nations.

Below is a comprehensive overview of our policy agenda and lobbying priorities.