(S. B. 281) (No. 88) (Approved August 3, 2001) AN ACT To declare the third Monday of February of each year as a legal and official holiday in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico the birth date of the first Puerto Rican Governor elected by the vote of the People of Puerto Rico; the Honorable Luis Muñoz Marín, which day shall be known as the Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín, and Act No. 95 of June 3, 1980, is hereby repealed. STATEMENT OF MOTIVES But I have always said and I would repeat, because not saying it would be meanness on my part, that I have come across few public men, during my extensive history of fighting for democracy and for liberty in America, with such a heartfelt dedication to his people, with a greater concern for his people to live within an environment of democracy and social justice, so that his people may express their will through the vote, as Luis Muñoz Marín. Rómulo Betancourt, Pacairigua, Caracas, May 1, 1981. José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín was born in San Juan, on February 18, 1898, the dawn of the new century, and at the most decisive moment of Puerto Rican history since its discovery 400 years before, and four days before his father, Luis Muñoz Rivera, would take the oath of office as Minister of Justice, and as Governor in the brief period of the autonomous regime decreed by Spain. His mother, Mrs. Amalia Marín Castilla, was the daughter of the owner of the Ponce newspaper El Cronista, which later, in the hands of Mr. Luis Muñoz Rivera, would become the daily newspaper La Democracia.
Due to his father s constant trips, he studied his primary education in schools in Puerto Rico and the United States. In 1911, he began his studies in Georgetown Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., and in 1915, he began studying in Georgetown University School of Law. His education was also fully influenced by poetry, of which he was not only a fanatic, but he also wrote it, and by journalism and politics. It is particularly politics that captures the imagination of Luis Muñoz Marín when associating it with justice and creativity, which are, according to him, functions of poetry that is not written because all of its energy is spent in living it. Luis Muñoz Marín understood that no outstanding government work can exist without having somewhat of a poet within. According to him, to govern was a quite imaginative thing and cannot be limited to a mere administrative technique political power is a creative force, it is a vision, an image of something wanted to be done, something to dream about, way above administration. Luis Muñoz Marín s political awareness continued to grow as he was getting to know the situation of workers around the world, who at the beginning of the 20 th Century, were ignored by the political forces of the time. Faced with the situation that prevailed during the 1920s and 1930s, Muñoz Marín, faithful to his father s axiom, the power rests within the people he was able to identify the incalculable potential of the people as the force that would dominate the new stage in history that was awakening. This allowed him to foresee that political force and power rests in the people and that he would quietly enter the political scene with the dramatic clamor of a great change in the historic perspective of Puerto Rico. As a result of his efforts within the administrative and legislative circles of the Federal government, the facilities of the Federal Employment Relief Administration (FERA) Project were extended to Puerto Rico, which offered
employment to the needy. Federal funds were obtained for sugar cane growers and the Chardon Plan was implemented to revive agriculture. In 1938, he founded the Popular Democratic Party, giving emphasis to his campaign in the countryside and teaching the people the magnitude of their own electoral force, and the strength to imprint upon the vote its potential as a peaceful weapon, capable of converting legitimate demands into the law of the land, and to elect a government committed to social justice. With the purpose that the people would shine as the main element of the elections scheduled for November, 1940, Muñoz Marín fully committed himself to an intense and encompassing political education program, targeted on the rural population, so that they could understand the importance of the electoral process, and what could be achieved by casting a vote, how it could improve their individual and collective way of life through the responsible use of the vote. Muñoz Marín s message and the process of education and orientation on suffrage were delivered to the people in a simple and easily understandable language. His work bore fruit in the surprising triumph of the Popular Democratic Party in the 1940 elections, and Muñoz Marín became President of the Senate of Puerto Rico. This began a profound and extensive economic and social reform; the agrarian reform was implemented; there was legislation in behalf of the working class, and the economic recovery and industrialization of the country was initiated. In 1947, the Congress of United States approved Act No. 477 granting Puerto Rico the power to elect its own governor. In the general elections of 1948, the people elected Luis Muñoz Marín, who thus became the first Puerto Rican governor. He governed for 16 years (1949-1064), a period during which the greatest industrial, economic, social and political development occurred in the history of the Island up to that date. In addition, the three
great projects that identify the government work of that time were established, during which Puerto Rico was known as the Window of America: Operation Bootstrap, Operation Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and Operation Serenity. Under the leadership of Luis Muñoz Marín, the concept of public interest was introduced, and broad legislation was presented and approved leading to foster public responsibilities and expand them within a broad concept of justice and social democracy. In addition, the relationship between Puerto Rico and several Latin American countries was bolstered, thus incorporating social, economic and political changes in a small Caribbean island, without involving violence. In 1950, Public Law 600 was approved, which authorized the people to call for a Constitutional Assembly to draft their own constitution. The Constitutional Assembly approved the Constitution on February 6, 1952, which was ratified by the people in a referendum held on March 3, 1952. On July 3, 1952, the President of the United States countersigned it and ratified the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. On July 25, 1952, Governor Muñoz Marín proclaims the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in a public activity and, for the first time, the Puerto Rican flag was officially raised. Luis Muñoz Marín gave to the people of Puerto Rico the power of the vote, and taught them of the strength that it placed in their hands. He planted in our political system of government the seed of the democracy that we enjoy today, as the first governor elected by the vote of the people and the architect of a social, political and economic revolution that positioned us in the world as a competitive nation. Thus, he achieved that Puerto Ricans could identify themselves as a people, and feel proud of it; to have a sense of belonging to a common group: the people of Puerto Rico, a nation with its own identity. Mr.
Luis Muñoz Marín is, without any doubt, the key figure for the development of Puerto Rico, and undoubtedly, the outstanding personality of the 20 th Century, where he was the standard-bearer for more than 25 years of our political history. Through the work of Mr. Luis Muñoz Marín, Puerto Rico today has a Constitution created by Puerto Ricans and approved by the People with their vote, their own Constitution that may only be amended by the people who approved it. Within the new constitutional framework and the establishment of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the people opened their doors to continue developing their potential to the maximum. All of which, within a democratic system of government peacefully achieved by Mr. Luis Muñoz Marín, during one of the most convulsive periods of modern and contemporary history. Mr. Luis Muñoz Marín is definitely among the great men of the 20 th Century. According to the words of Manuel de Heredia, in his book Luis Muñoz Marín, biografía abierta: Luis Muñoz Marín is undeniably placed among the most significant men in America, without adjudging sympathy or apathy for his governing achievements; what Puerto Rico has become today, and what it could be in the future, shall bear the mark of this man who, in addition is of the utmost interest for humanity. To honor and acknowledge the work and life of Luis Muñoz Marín, first governor elected by the people of Puerto Rico, so that his legacy and his persona are perpetuated for future generations, this Legislature decrees the third Monday of February of each year, the birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín as a legal and official holiday in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and which shall be known as the Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF PUERTO RICO: Section 1.- The third Monday of February of each year is hereby declared as a legal and official holiday in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, date of the birth of Luis Muñoz Marín, the first Puerto Rican governor elected by vote of the People of Puerto Rico, the Honorable Luis Muñoz Marín, and that day shall be known as the Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín, Section 2.- Act No. 95 of June 3, 1980 that established the Memorial Day of Luis Muñoz Marín, is hereby repealed. Section 3.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
CERTIFICATION I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 88 (S.B. 281) of the 1 st Session of the 14 th Legislature of Puerto Rico: AN ACT to declare the third Monday of February of each year as a legal and official holiday in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico the birth date of the first Puerto Rican Governor elected by the vote of the People of Puerto Rico; the Honorable Luis Muñoz Marín, which day shall be known as the Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín, and Act No. 95 of June 3, 1980, is hereby repealed, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct. In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today 15 th of December of 2004. Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director