The Government in Puerto Rico

The country’s official name is Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico). It is a self-governing commonwealth in association with the United States. There are 3 branches of government; Head of State, Federal Legislative Branch and the Head of Government. The chief of state is the President of the United States of America (George Bush). The head of government is an elected Governor (Anibal Acevedo Vila), who exercises Executive Power and leads a cabinet conformed by the heads of the commonwealth's executive departments. There are two legislative chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The major political parties are: Popular Democratic Party, which supports an enhanced commonwealth status; the New Progressive Party (PNP), which supports full U.S. statehood for the island and the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), which supports the independence from the US.

The Judicial System is directed by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is formed by 7 judges (a chief justice and six associate justices. The structure of the Judicial System includes a Court of Appeals, Superior Court, a District Court, and Municipal Court. There are 12 judicial districts.

Puerto Rico is not divided into counties but has 78 municipalities. Each is governed by a popularly elected mayor and municipal assembly. The mayor appoints a secretary-auditor and a treasurer. Puerto Rico has authority over its internal affairs unless U.S. law is involved. The major differences between Puerto Rico and the 50 states are exemption from some aspects of the Internal Revenue Code, its lack of voting representation, and the ineligibility of Puerto Ricans to vote in presidential elections.