Puerto Rico Sen. Eduardo Bhatia, from the left, Prof. Antoni Fernós, P.R. Bar Regional Vice President Frank Rullán, PR Bar President Nydia Menéndez, P.R. Sen. Manuel Rodriguez Orellana, P.R. and Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock.

“Millions of U.S. Citizens are Not Equal in the Eyes of the Law” was the title of the seminar presented by the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Florida in June at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale.

The presentation explored the legal and political status of Puerto Ricans, who are United States citizens at birth, but who, by virtue of their country’s status as a U.S. territory, cannot vote in Puerto Rico for U.S. president, and have no voting representation in Congress.

Nydia Menéndez, president of the PRBAF, said the seminar included academic, scholarly, and legal presentations delving into: the constitutionality of Puerto Rico’s status as a commonwealth of the United States both politically and through the development of U.S. Supreme Court insular cases which serve as precedent; the legal issues of the U.S.-Puerto Rico relationship; and, the three most popular “solutions” to Puerto Rico’s legal and political dilemma for the future legal relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States to remedy the lack of parity in constitutional and legal rights, namely independence, statehood, and enhanced commonwealth status.

The speakers included: Puerto Rico Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock; Puerto Rico Sen. Eduardo Bhatia; Professor Antonio Fernós from the Inter-American University; Professors Angel Oquendo and Blanca G. Silvestri from the University of Connecticut School of Law; Professor and practicing attorney Celina Romany; Associate Dean Ediberto Román of Florida International University School of Law; and former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferré.

Menéndez said at the core of the Puerto Rican Bar’s mission is the promotion of civil rights, which has a fundamental element of equality.

“It is ironic that a country which stands for equality for everyone in the eyes of the law can, especially in today’s day and age, perpetuate the treatment of its Puerto Rico residing citizens as second class citizens without the right to vote for president or the right to vote in Congress,” Menéndez said. “Yet, Puerto Rico is governed by, and subject to, the federal laws of the United States and the residents of Puerto Rico fight in our military to uphold our Constitution and protect the United States.”

Frank Rullán, regional vice president of the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Florida and chair of the seminar, said: “For this reason, the legal and political status of Puerto Rico is not just a Puerto Rican issue. It is an issue that must be of concern to everyone who holds our Constitution and equality in the highest regard.”

“It is alarming that most United States citizens have little or no exposure to the legal fact of the unequal treatment of Puerto Ricans under the law,” said Hector Rivera, immediate past president of the PRBAF. “One of the paramount goals of the Puerto Rican Bar is to raise awareness of Puerto Rico’s unique status and legal issues affecting Puerto Ricans.”

Menéndez said the PRBAF plays a role as a grass-roots civic organization that brings attention to, and raises awareness of, the issues related to the legal and political status of Puerto Rico in the context of the American democratic system of government.

“The role played by the Puerto Rican Bar in educating the public is critical in breaking the silence and divulging the secret,” Rivera said.

However, Rullán said: “We emphasize that it is not the Puerto Rican Bar’s goal or intent to support, advocate, or otherwise express preference for any political position — that is why the discussions were academic in nature.”

For additional information about the PR Bar, contact Menéndez at (954) 963-7220 or nydia@menendezlawfirm.com.