Autonomist Party (Puerto Rico)
Encyclopedia
The Autonomist Party was a political party
in Puerto Rico
founded in 1887. The Party was founded in Ponce, Puerto Rico
, and its first chairman was Román Baldorioty de Castro
.
The Party sought to establish an independent government for Puerto Rico under the Spanish colonial system. The party advocated self-rule, but not independence from Spain. It envisioned decentralised control by Spain, and the strongest possible local government.
To provide a voice for the Autonomist Party, Luis Muñoz Rivera
, one of its founders, founded the newspaper La Democracia (The Democracy). In it he argued for Puerto Rican independence, denounced the injustices of the Spanish regime, and lobbied for the support of one of the main political parties in Spain to fulfill the goals of the Autonomist party.
In 1897 the Party joined with the less conservative but still monachist Spanish Liberal Fusionist Party of Praxedes Mateo Sagasta
, becoming the Liberal Fusionist Party of Puerto Rico. Some members in the Autonomist party who were opposed to any kind of alliance with Spanish political parties, left to form the Pure and Orthodox Liberal party, with Jose Celso Barbosa
as its leader.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
founded in 1887. The Party was founded in Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, and its first chairman was Román Baldorioty de Castro
Román Baldorioty de Castro
Román Baldorioty de Castro distinguished himself as one of Puerto Rico's foremost abolitionists and spokesman for the island's right to self-determination...
.
The Party sought to establish an independent government for Puerto Rico under the Spanish colonial system. The party advocated self-rule, but not independence from Spain. It envisioned decentralised control by Spain, and the strongest possible local government.
To provide a voice for the Autonomist Party, Luis Muñoz Rivera
Luis Muñoz Rivera
Luis Muñoz Rivera was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician. He was a major figure in the struggle for political autonomy of Puerto Rico....
, one of its founders, founded the newspaper La Democracia (The Democracy). In it he argued for Puerto Rican independence, denounced the injustices of the Spanish regime, and lobbied for the support of one of the main political parties in Spain to fulfill the goals of the Autonomist party.
In 1897 the Party joined with the less conservative but still monachist Spanish Liberal Fusionist Party of Praxedes Mateo Sagasta
Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
Práxedes Mariano Mateo Sagasta y Escolar was a Spanish politician who served as Prime Minister on eight occasions between 1870 and 1902—always in charge of the Liberal Party—as part of the turno pacifico, alternating with the Liberal-Conservative leader Antonio Cánovas...
, becoming the Liberal Fusionist Party of Puerto Rico. Some members in the Autonomist party who were opposed to any kind of alliance with Spanish political parties, left to form the Pure and Orthodox Liberal party, with Jose Celso Barbosa
José Celso Barbosa
Dr. José Celso Barbosa was a medical Physician, sociologist, and political leader of Puerto Rico.Known within Puerto Rico's New Progressive Party as "The father of the Statehood for Puerto Rico movement", Barbosa was also the first Puerto Rican to be awarded an American medical degree.-Early...
as its leader.