CO-HOST JAMIE RICHARDSON: The JFK35 Podcast is made possible through generous support from the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation.
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PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY: Puerto Rico serves as an admirable bridge between Latin America and North America.
CO-HOST MATT PORTER: When John F. Kennedy touched down at the Isla Verde International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico 60 years ago, he became the first sitting president to visit the new commonwealth. There he met with the first independently elected governor, Luis Muñoz Marín, serving in office since 1949. Today, we'll look back on their relationship, President Kennedy's visit to Puerto Rico, and how Kennedy still remains one of the most popular Presidents among Puerto Ricans, next on JFK35.
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY: And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.
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MATT PORTER: Hello, I'm Matt Porter. Welcome to JFK35. When President Truman passed the law allowing Puerto Rico to become a commonwealth, it was the beginning of a new era for the island territory of the United States. The decision would allow Puerto Ricans to independently elect their governor for the first time in 50 years of its existence as a US territory. The new governor of the island would be Luis Muñoz Marín, a charismatic and popular leader among the residents of Puerto Rico.
Governor Marín and President Kennedy would meet for the first time 60 years ago in December 1961. The job as Puerto Rico's governor would not be easy, as the island would need a lot of economic help from the mainland to improve its conditions for its residents. The commonwealth needed more help modernizing its infrastructure compared to the rest of the country. In February 1962, 10 months before the visit to Puerto Rico, Governor Marín would ask Kennedy for help getting the various US bureaucracies to speed up promised aid that would help make Puerto Rico's economy competitive in the modern environment.
Kennedy would respond by writing a letter to all US agencies directing them to make aid to Puerto Rico a top priority. The two men would develop a kinship with each other, sending letters and telegrams back and forth during their time in office. You can read them for yourselves at our podcast page for this episode. Marín in several of his notes would discuss the future possibility of statehood or independence for Puerto Rico.
In memos back and forth between the two leaders, President Kennedy said he valued the close relationship between the island and the mainland and emphasized that he hoped the commonwealth could remain part of the United States in either its current capacity or perhaps as a fully realized state. However, at a time where colonized nations across the world were becoming independent, Kennedy said in a 1962 July memo to the governor that he would accept whatever the voters of Puerto Rico ultimately decided. Today, the question of Puerto Rican statehood or independence still remains.
My co-host Jamie Richardson and I were able to speak with sitting Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi. In it, we asked him about the continued admiration for President Kennedy among Puerto Rican residents and his look towards the future of the commonwealth. Today, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Puerto Rican Governor Pedro Pierluisi. Governor, thank you for joining us.
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: Thank you very much for this opportunity.
MATT PORTER: We're so glad to have you here. So when John F. Kennedy met with President Luis Muñoz Marín, it was the meeting of two very influential figures. Marín was the first democratically elected governor of the newly independent Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. And for the US, Kennedy was the generational change representing the new frontier for the United States. What was the reaction from Puerto Ricans of the meeting of these two political figures?
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: Well, this was an extraordinary event in Puerto Rico. It was the first time that a sitting President visited Puerto Rico. Bear in mind, Puerto Rico had been an American territory since 1898 and slowly gained more rights from the US. In 1917, we became citizens by birth.
And you're right. Muñoz Marín was the first governor we elected in Puerto Rico. In 1952, Congress approved a Constitution for Puerto Rico. And so this visit happened about nine years later.
And so this is, I guess, part of this progression of Puerto Rico gaining more power within its territorial status. The people were ecstatic when President Kennedy came to Puerto Rico. I was too young to remember.
I was a toddler. I was two years old. But I am a history major. That's what I studied in college, American contemporary history. And so I know that this was incredible for the people of Puerto Rico at the time.
JAMIE RICHARDSON: And so we have some photos in the archives showing lots of people lining the streets to wave and cheer and welcome President Kennedy. What made the visit so important to Puerto Rico and its people for JFK to visit?
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: OK, well, first, Muñoz Marín was our governor at this time. He had been governor then by-- this was like, it's the beginning of his fourth term in office. So he had been governor for like 12 years. And he was like Puerto Rico's FDR in a way because Puerto Rico was called earlier in the century the Poor House of the Americas. And yet, under Muñoz's leadership, it industrialized itself.
There was a program called Operation Bootstrap, basically enabling a lot of manufacturing projects on the islands. From an agricultural based economy, Puerto Rico evolved into a more modern economy. So Muñoz was really quite an incredible leader at the local level. On the other hand, JFK had all this charisma. You know, he was the youngest President ever in the States, very eloquent.
And he was at the time changing the way the US was dealing with Latin America. He created the Alliance for Progress. And Puerto Rico was in a way unique because we have Latin American, Hispanic roots we're very proud of. But at the same time, we were part of America, American citizens. So the combination of these two leaders, JFK and Muñoz Marín was something and to see them together.
And one thing that I have to also mention is that a couple months earlier, the President had done a state dinner for Governor Muñoz Marín at the White House. And he invited Muñoz Marín, as well as Pablo Casals, who was an incredible musician from Spain but who was living in Puerto Rico at the time. And that state dinner was also quite an event. At that state dinner, I understand Governor Muñoz Marín invited the President to come to Puerto Rico.
And the President then chose to come to Puerto Rico as part of his first trip to Latin America, two countries in Latin America, Venezuela and Colombia, to pretty much launch or talk about this Alliance for Progress, which was intended to do in Latin America what pretty much Puerto Rico was doing under the leadership of Muñoz Marín, which was to empower peasants and give them title to land and obviously obtain democratic rights. What was JFK doing in Latin America? Promoting democracy throughout Latin America, empowering the poor in Latin America. So that's the context of this visit. And that's why it was so extraordinary.
JAMIE RICHARDSON: And so when Kennedy arrived at Isla Verde Airport, which was later named for Muñoz Marín, Kennedy said that Puerto Rico was an impressive place, because while it was culturally different, it still felt distinctly American, as you say, with a spirit of democracy and complementing the land's spirit of its people, to be invested in the economy, improving its educational facilities, and all kinds of commitments to growth, as you've mentioned. And so how significant was it, as you mentioned, also, it was the first year of his presidency, an earlier trip for him. And how significant was this for Puerto Rico to have this early visit by President Kennedy and having this great praise for them?
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: The recognition that JFK, the President, John F. Kennedy, was giving Puerto Rico was unprecedented. Holding a state dinner for the governor of Puerto Rico-- that has never-- That's the only time it has ever happened. Coming to Puerto Rico, it was the first time a President visited Puerto Rico. It took 50 years for another President to come back.
And this was President Obama while I was representing Puerto Rico in Congress. And I came down. I flew down on Air Force One with him. That was something as well. But it took 50 years.
So that's why this was quite an event. Now, John F. Kennedy also appointed Muñoz Marín's trusted advisor and one of his cabinet members-- Teodoro Moscoso was his name-- to head the Alliance for Progress, to act as the Director of the Alliance for Progress and appointed as well another confidant and close colleague of Muñoz Marín's, Arturo Morales Carrión as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Latin American Affairs. Again, at the time, this was extraordinary.
I mean, since then, we've had Puerto Ricans elected to Congress from districts in the US mainland. We now have a Supreme Court Associate Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, who has Puerto Rican descent. You know, her family comes from Puerto Rico. And we've had other top appointed officials at the federal government level. But I would say that President Kennedy was the one who started all of this and for the best.
MATT PORTER: And Governor, you know, when Kennedy was visiting, he said Puerto Rico was the admirable bridge between North and Latin America. In fact, as you mentioned, his next stops after the commonwealth were to Venezuela and Colombia. And that was symbolic as it was important. How do you react to that from President Kennedy? And do you think Puerto Rico still plays that role for America?
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: We still aspire to be the main bridge between the US and Latin America. And why? First, geographically, we're in the middle of the Caribbean. So this is like you're on your way to much of Latin America when you're passing through Puerto Rico, for starters. So geographically, it makes sense.
Secondly, our culture is very much the same as the culture you'll find in the rest-- in Latin America. We have Spanish roots with Spanish as our main language. And our traditions and way of life are similar to what you'll see in Latin America. Having said that, Puerto Rico was then and still is part of the US. Our government, ever since Congress approved our Constitution, resembles any state government in the States.
We have three branches. It's a Republican form of government. And we elect the members of our legislature. And we have a four-year cycle. We elect a governor as well.
And we have a representative in Congress called the Resident Commissioner, who unfortunately doesn't vote on the floor of the House. He or she is a member of the House of Representatives in the US Congress but cannot vote on the floor. I held that office for eight years. So I know exactly what that means. But again, in Puerto Rico, you have US law applying.
You have a government that is like any state government in the States. We are used to doing business along the same lines you do business in the States. And we have a vibrant democracy. So we could be a showcase for what the US would like to see happening elsewhere in Latin America, keeping in mind that all those countries are independent from the US. And I am sure all of them want to maintain their national sovereignty.
And that's not the case in Puerto Rico. But that's the backdrop. And it is still a work in progress because even though you see Miami, for example, in Florida being like a place where you have lots of Latin Americans interacting with US citizens. And we are not at that level. Puerto Rico still is uniquely positioned to do the same at a different level but probably even better so.
MATT PORTER: You know, I think that answer leads right into our next question. When Kennedy and Muñoz Marín were speaking with each other, there's one telegram. Part of it is asking for help in those Operation Bootstrap campaign and looking for economic assistance. But the other part of the letter, Marín talks about, at this time, the commonwealth had just newly been formed.
And he's sort of like, I'm not sure where Puerto Rico will go. But we do hope the US will be with us. And you know, that was alluding to whether or not Puerto Rico become a state or does it pursue independence.
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: Governor Muñoz Marín in his early years when young, he advocated for independence for Puerto Rico. But he gradually evolved and realized that Puerto Rico needed to have some kind of relationship with the US. And we ended up drafting the Constitution I referred to and gaining a lot of self-government, which was very important. He believed in Puerto Rico having the same kind of autonomy that you see in the States.
Now, he even admitted that statehood was one of our options and at one point even referred to it as the culmination of the territorial status we have. So what you've seen happening in Puerto Rico is that the statehood movement naturally has grown. And right now, clearly, a majority of the American citizens residing in Puerto Rico favor statehood. At the same time, so many Puerto Ricans have left and gone to the states.
We're not migrating. We simply hop on a plane and move because we're American citizens. It's different, our situation, than the one you have with any Latin American country. And right now, the numbers speak for themselves. You have about 5 million Puerto Rican Americans, American citizens from Puerto Rico, in the States and about 3 million remaining on the island.
That is really interesting. So I myself, I hope that someday we get the same rights that our fellow citizens have in the States. That is my own aspiration. I would love to vote for the President, have voting congressional delegation, and be treated equally in all federal programs. So this is still a work in progress.
As I said a while ago, Muñoz was the one in a way who launched it because he knew that either we went all the way and became a state of the United States or remain as an autonomous entity, either like we currently are, which I personally don't like because it's colonial in nature, or become a sovereign nation in some kind of association with the US. I guess those are the options. And Muñoz Marín knew.
He knew at the time that those were the options. And President Kennedy was there. He was there for us. He was engaging him and empowering him and my people. And so we will always be appreciative of that.
MATT PORTER: No matter what ends up happening, what do you hope for the relationship between the commonwealth and the US as that grows and develops?
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: I do hope that we become a state. And I say it because it is the natural next step. We've been American citizens for more than 100 years now. Our economy is integrated into the US economy.
Most of what we import to Puerto Rico comes from the States. And most of what we export goes to the States. And as I said, we have so many Puerto Ricans all over the States making the difference in the arts, in science, in the area of medicine, in government, in politics, and so on, in the judiciary. The list is so long.
So as a matter of basically dignity, I hope that Congress will ask the people of Puerto Rico to vote on our status to choose, make a choice, and then commit to implementing our choice. That's what self-determination is all about. Congress has never asked the people of Puerto Rico to vote on our status.
It's about time Congress does that. I know that when Congress does that, whenever Congress does that, a clear majority will support statehood. And I hope as well that Congress will allow for it because after all, Congress is the one that has the power to admit a new state like it has done in the past with so many territories.
JAMIE RICHARDSON: Thank you. That's such a great point of view to have, often forgotten, I think, when we're here stateside. I just wanted to get back-- you know, we are podcasts about JFK, President Kennedy.
And you mentioned you were too young to recall President Kennedy's visit. But what did your family or your family's recollections or kind of your own as you learned about JFK becoming a leader, how has he either influenced or not, your own life or governing style?
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: Let me say that here in Puerto Rico, we're very passionate about our politics. And we are always-- we love to support charismatic leaders such as Muñoz Marín, such as John F. Kennedy. And I know that his life, it is still remembered by so many. It was very unfortunate that he could only be the President for about three years.
Who knows how much more he could have accomplished for the nation as a whole, as well as Puerto Rico. So that is like a dream that remains. People keep thinking, wondering, could it have been better and emulating what he did. I mentioned Alliance for Progress. But I could also mention the Peace Corps, an amazing thing that still remains today.
And I also remember what he did with a space program in the States when he saw Russia doing whatever they did back then, Sputnik and what have you. And then he said, no, we'll do the same. And we know what ended up happening. We ended up landing on the moon before anybody.
Well, nobody else has. So I mean, that's the kind of President he was, always looking forward, positive thinking, and actually asking, as he did in his inaugural to all of us, to think about what we can do for our country. And so he was challenging us as well. And his memory still does.
MATT PORTER: And our final question is, we talk a lot about legacy. President Kennedy left a legacy of public service, political courage, and embarking on those bold ideas like the moon landing. We want to ask you, what legacy did Governor Muñoz Marín leave behind?
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: Well, I have to say that Puerto Rico progressed. The quality of life in Puerto Rico improved significantly during his four terms in office, which in and of themselves are like extraordinary. Being governor for 16 years, that's nothing we've seen since.
And so he did it. And he is one of the-- when you come to my office, there are two busts and two official pictures of former governors of Puerto Rico. One of them is Muñoz Marín's. The other one is Luis Ferré, is the one.
And why both? Well, Muñoz Marín was all that we have talked about. And Luis Ferré was kind of his counterpart for a significant portion of his life. And he was another great leader we had in the past, another former governor.
Those are the two I have in my office. That tells you, and I am the sitting governor, so those are the ones I look up to. So I have to include Muñoz Marín. And I include Luis Ferré.
One thing I didn't say is he's the father of the statehood movement in Puerto Rico-- I mean, Ferré. So that's why I chose the two. And I'm proud of saying so. And insofar as US Presidents are concerned, I have to say that JFK is on the top of my list.
MATT PORTER: Well, we love hearing that. Governor, thank you for joining us today. We really appreciate it.
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: I did too. Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity.
JAMIE RICHARDSON: Thank you so much.
GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI: Bye-bye.
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MATT PORTER: John F. Kennedy would remain a towering figure in Puerto Rico. And his assassination would reverberate through the island, just as it did on the mainland. In his oral history, Muñoz Marín described the event as a tremendous sorrow. He mentioned his daughter would fly the Puerto Rican flag at half mast. And even two years after the assassination, she still refused to take it down.
Governor Marín described Kennedy as a, quote, "a fine friend." And everyone, he said, quote, "had a deep regard for him." If you are interested in learning more about the relationship between the two leaders, we have posted Marín's oral history on our podcast page for this episode, along with a folder of memos, letters, and telegrams between the two men. You can visit our podcast page at jfklibrary.org/jfk35.
I want to thank you for listening to this episode of the JFK35, a podcast from the JFK Library Foundation. This episode completes our seventh season. A special thank you to those who have been longtime listeners. We will be back with Season 8 starting in February. If you have questions or story ideas, email us at JFK35Pod@jfklfoundation.org. Or tweet at us at JFKLibrary, using the hashtag #JFK35.
If you liked what you heard today, please consider subscribing to our podcast or leaving us a review wherever you get your podcasts. Again, thank you for those who have listened to all seven seasons. And thank you to everyone else. Have a Happy New Year.
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December 22, 2021