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Balzac v. Porto Rico: A Century Later

It was a criminal libel case with a ruling that determined that Puerto Rico is a territory that belonged to the United States but was not incorporated into the Union

April 10, 2022 - 1:29 PM

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With the Balzac case, the U.S. Supreme Court underscored Puerto Rico’s territorial or colonial relationship, and clearly stated that not all federal Constitution rights apply to a U.S. citizen on the island, but only those rights considered fundamental. (Agencia EFE)

By José A. Delgado Robles

Washington D.C. - It ended up confirming that Congress’ decision to collectively naturalize Puerto Ricans on the island, under the Jones Act of 1917, did not mean the incorporation of Puerto Rico as a territory and, therefore, neither did it mean the full exercise of federal constitutional rights on Puerto Rican soil.