Christopher Columbus discovered the island of Puerto Rico on his second voyage to the Antilles in 1493. The Spanish newcomers named the island San Juan Bautista in honor of St. John the Baptist, and found it populated by Taíno Indians.

Spanish conqueror Juan Ponce de León was our first governor when Puerto Rico became Spain’s most important military outpost in the Caribbean and the target of numerous attacks threats from English and Dutch enemies; Spain began constructing massive defenses around the city of San Juan.

In 1809, Puerto Rico was recognized as an overseas province of Spain with the right to send representatives to the Spanish Court. Puerto Rico was granted its first constitution, allowing it to embark on free commerce and giving the island its own identity in aspects such as culture, music and arts. In 1898, after Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico became a territory of the United States under the Treaty of Paris.

The 20th century began with a new political and social relationship under the military regime of the United States. In 1917, the US Congress granted Puerto Ricans US citizenship. About the middle of the century, many significant changes occurred, as Jesús T. Piñero became the first Puerto Rican governor designated by the US government. Later, Luis Muñoz Marín became the first governor elected by the Puerto Ricans themselves.

Puerto Rico adopted its own constitution in 1952 by congressional decree, under a Commonwealth formula, which was edited by constituent assembly and ratified by a majority vote. The Constitution of Puerto Rico Commonwealth is based on a presidential system similar to the federal government, with three main government branches: executive, legislative and judicial.

Our island has a governor who is elected every four years, a resident commissioner in Washington - who represents the island’s interest but does not have a vote in Congress - a Chamber of Representatives and a Senate. They are all elected by the majority vote of the municipalities, as well as the island’s 78 mayors. The governor appoints the judicial branch members with the Senate’s consent.