▁Session ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Assembly : ▁ ▁Re comm end ation ▁on ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁ ▁The ▁Special ▁Committee ▁on ▁Dec ol on ization ▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁( an ▁un in cor por ated ▁territory ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ) ▁as ▁a ▁nation ▁in ▁its ▁reports , ▁because , ▁intern ation ally , ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁are ▁often ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁Car ib bean ▁nation ▁with ▁their ▁own ▁national ▁identity . ▁Most ▁recently , ▁in ▁a ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁report , ▁the ▁Special ▁Committee ▁called ▁for ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁exped ite ▁the ▁process ▁to ▁allow ▁self - det erm ination ▁in ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁More ▁specifically , ▁the ▁group ▁called ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁exped ite ▁a ▁process ▁that ▁would ▁allow ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁to ▁exercise ▁fully ▁their ▁right ▁to ▁self - det erm ination ▁and ▁independence . ▁... ▁[ and ] ▁allow ▁the ▁Puerto ▁R ican ▁people ▁to ▁take ▁dec isions ▁in ▁a ▁so ver eign ▁manner ▁and ▁to ▁address ▁their ▁ur gent ▁economic ▁and ▁social ▁needs , ▁including ▁un emp loyment , ▁marg inal ization , ▁ins ol ven cy ▁and ▁pover ty ". ▁ ▁In ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁refer end ums ▁on ▁the ▁political ▁status ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico ▁held ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁only ▁ 5 . 4 9 % ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Ric ans ▁voted ▁for ▁independence , ▁while ▁ 6 1 . 1 6 % ▁voted ▁for ▁state hood ▁and ▁ 3 3