Autonomy Charter of Puerto Rico

It was granted by a Royal Decree, signed on November 25, 1897, by the Queen Regent Maria Christina of Austria on behalf of her son, Alfonso XIII of Spain.

An Insular Parliament was established, divided into a House of Representatives (32 members elected every 5 years; 1 for every 25,000 inhabitants) and a Board of Directors (8 half-elected every 5 years and 7 for a lifetime appointment) with scope to regulate all local affairs and authority in matters of Grace and Justice, Government, Finance and Development.

Its representative would be a Governor General, elected by the King at the proposal of the Cortes, who will exercise the Supreme Authority on behalf of the mainland.

In addition, the Provincial Council of Puerto Rico and the municipalities would remain, and the island would elect 16 deputies and 3 senators in the Spanish Courts.

[2] With the Treaty of Paris of December 10, 1898, the government of Spain renounced its sovereignty over Puerto Rico, handing it over to the United States, without the island institutions being consulted.