Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are
US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state: President (of the US) William Jefferson CLINTON
(since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20
January 1993)
head of government: Governor Pedro ROSSELLO (since 2 January 1993)
was elected for a four-year term by direct suffrage; election last
held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5 November 1996); results -
Pedro ROSSELLO (PNP) 50%, Victoria MUNOZ (PPD) 46%, Fernando MARTIN
(PIP) 4%
Legislative branch: bicameral Legislative Assembly
Senate: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held 5
November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (29
total) PNP 20, PPD 8, PIP 1
House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next
to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (53 total) PNP 36, PPD 16, PIP 1
US House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992
(next to be held 5 November 1996); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (1 total) PNP 1 (Carlos Romero BARCELO); note -
Puerto Rico elects one representative to the US House of
Representatives
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, justices appointed by the governor
with the consent of the Senate; Superior Courts, justices appointed
by the governor with the consent of the Senate; Municipal Courts,
justices appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate
Political parties and leaders: National Republican Party of Puerto
Rico, Luis FERRE; Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Hector ACEVEDO;
New Progressive Party (PNP), Pedro ROSSELLO; Puerto Rican Socialist
Party (PSP) has been disbanded (1994); Puerto Rican Independence
Party (PIP), Ruben BERRIOS Martinez; Puerto Rican Communist Party
(PCP), leader(s) unknown
Other political or pressure groups: Armed Forces for National
Liberation (FALN); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution;
Boricua Popular Army (also known as the Macheteros); Armed Forces of
Popular Resistance
International organization participation: Caricom (observer),
ECLAC (associate), FAO (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau),
IOC, WCL, WFTU, WHO (associate), WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in US: none (commonwealth associated
with the US)
US diplomatic representation: none (commonwealth associated with
the US)
Flag: five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the US flag