Puerto Rico governor vows statehood push after referendum winNEW YORK/SAN JUAN (Reuters) - Puerto Rico’s governor on Monday said the island’s vote in favor of becoming a U.S. state, despite low voter turnout and widespread boycotts, was “a fair and open” process that U.S. Congress should act upon. An island-wide referendum on Sunday favored statehood in a 97 percent landslide, though voter turnout reached just 23 percent as opponents of Governor Ricardo Rossello’s push to become a state boycotted the vote. The non-binding plebiscite is not expected to sway the U.S. Congress, which would have to agree to make Puerto Rico a state. Currently a U.S. territory, the island is struggling with $70 billion in debt and a 45 percent poverty rate, and is not viewed as a priority in Washington.   Rossello, who campaigned on a push for statehood, said in a telephone interview with Reuters that he will go to the U.S. capital this week to urge federal lawmakers to begin the process of admitting Puerto Rico into the union. “We will make sure this becomes an issue,” Rossello said. The vote comes at a critical time for Puerto Rico, whose hazy status - which dates to its 1898 acquisition by the United States from Spain - has contributed to its ongoing economic crisis. Last month, the island filed the biggest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Its woes make statehood even more urgent, Rossello said. “Statehood brings stability, allows us to have fewer rule-changes from Congress, provides resources to our people,” he said.  Sunday’s referendum, which cost Puerto Rico between $5 million and $7 million, according to government estimates, was the island’s fifth since 1967 - and the third in which pro-statehood sentiments triumphed, though none have moved Congress to act. “If the U.S. is going to go to Venezuela and Cuba and Afghanistan and push democracy abroad, they’ve got to do the same” with their own territories, he said.  But Puerto Ricans are skeptical the island’s status will change. “This has all been a waste of time,” said taxi driver Felix Salasarar, 54, adding that federal lawmakers will “look at the voter turnout and say, ‘where’s the will of the people?’”  Working against the governor may be a perception in Washington that Sunday’s vote was not fair.  The U.S. Department of Justice in April called on Rossello to change ballot language that initially did not give voters an option to remain a U.S. territory.  Rossello told Reuters he made that decision because the territory option - which Rossello equates to colonialism - already lost in a previous status referendum, in 2012, making this year’s vote a choice between statehood and independence.  The Justice department viewed the language as politically unfair to millions of Puerto Ricans who favor territory status, prompting Rossello to add the territory option. But the Justice department never reviewed or approved the new language. To be sure, Sunday’s results do not reflect the true nature of Puerto Ricans’ views on statehood, which are fairly evenly divided between those who favor it and those who do not, based upon historical election results. Statehooder Rossello, for example, won his own election with just 42 percent of the vote. But that, the governor said, is how democracy works: “Everybody knows that those who go through the voting process have a louder voice than those who don’t,” he said. Carolina Santos, a single working mother struggling to make her mortgage payments, said bankrupt Puerto Rico has more important things to worry about than a status vote. “Maybe we should focus more on fixing our financial problems and our schools,” she said. politicsNews
puerto rico governor vows statehood push referendum winner juan reuters puerto rico governor monday said island vote favor becoming state despite low voter turnout widespread boycotts fair open process congress act upon an referendum sunday favored statehood percent landslide though voter turnout reached percent opponents governor ricardo russell push become state boycotted vote the plebiscite expected sway congress would agree make puerto rico state currently territory island struggling billion debt percent poverty rate viewed priority washington russell campaigned push statehood said telephone interview reuters go capital week urge federal lawmakers begin process admitting puerto rico union we make sure becomes issue russell said the vote comes critical time puerto rico whose hazy status dates acquisition united states spain contributed ongoing economic crisis last month island filed biggest municipal bankruptcy history its woes make statehood even urgent russell said statehood brings stability allows us fewer congress provides resources people said sunday referendum cost puerto rico million million according government estimates island fifth since third sentiments triumphed though none moved congress act if going go venezuela cuba afghanistan push democracy abroad got territories said but puerto ricas skeptical island status change this waste time said taxi driver felix salasarar adding federal lawmakers look voter turnout say people working governor may perception washington sunday vote fair the department justice april called russell change ballot language initially give voters option remain territory russell told reuters made decision territory option russell equates colonialism already lost previous status referendum making year vote choice statehood independence the justice department viewed language politically unfair millions puerto ricas favor territory status prompting russell add territory option but justice department never reviewed approved new language to sure sunday results reflect true nature puerto ricas views statehood fairly evenly divided favor based upon historical election results statehood russell example election percent vote but governor said democracy works everybody knows go voting process louder voice said carolina santos single working mother struggling make mortgage payments said bankrupt puerto rico important things worry status vote maybe focus fixing financial problems schools said politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Puerto Rico governor vows statehood push after referendum winNEW YORK/SAN JUAN (Reuters) - Puerto Rico’s governor on Monday said the island’s vote in favor of becoming a U.S. state, despite low voter turnout and widespread boycotts, was “a fair and open” process that U.S. Congress should act upon. An island-wide referendum on Sunday favored statehood in a 97 percent landslide, though voter turnout reached just 23 percent as opponents of Governor Ricardo Rossello’s push to become a state boycotted the vote. The non-binding plebiscite is not expected to sway the U.S. Congress, which would have to agree to make Puerto Rico a state. Currently a U.S. territory, the island is struggling with $70 billion in debt and a 45 percent poverty rate, and is not viewed as a priority in Washington.   Rossello, who campaigned on a push for statehood, said in a telephone interview with Reuters that he will go to the U.S. capital this week to urge federal lawmakers to begin the process of admitting Puerto Rico into the union. “We will make sure this becomes an issue,” Rossello said. The vote comes at a critical time for Puerto Rico, whose hazy status - which dates to its 1898 acquisition by the United States from Spain - has contributed to its ongoing economic crisis. Last month, the island filed the biggest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Its woes make statehood even more urgent, Rossello said. “Statehood brings stability, allows us to have fewer rule-changes from Congress, provides resources to our people,” he said.  Sunday’s referendum, which cost Puerto Rico between $5 million and $7 million, according to government estimates, was the island’s fifth since 1967 - and the third in which pro-statehood sentiments triumphed, though none have moved Congress to act. “If the U.S. is going to go to Venezuela and Cuba and Afghanistan and push democracy abroad, they’ve got to do the same” with their own territories, he said.  But Puerto Ricans are skeptical the island’s status will change. “This has all been a waste of time,” said taxi driver Felix Salasarar, 54, adding that federal lawmakers will “look at the voter turnout and say, ‘where’s the will of the people?’”  Working against the governor may be a perception in Washington that Sunday’s vote was not fair.  The U.S. Department of Justice in April called on Rossello to change ballot language that initially did not give voters an option to remain a U.S. territory.  Rossello told Reuters he made that decision because the territory option - which Rossello equates to colonialism - already lost in a previous status referendum, in 2012, making this year’s vote a choice between statehood and independence.  The Justice department viewed the language as politically unfair to millions of Puerto Ricans who favor territory status, prompting Rossello to add the territory option. But the Justice department never reviewed or approved the new language. To be sure, Sunday’s results do not reflect the true nature of Puerto Ricans’ views on statehood, which are fairly evenly divided between those who favor it and those who do not, based upon historical election results. Statehooder Rossello, for example, won his own election with just 42 percent of the vote. But that, the governor said, is how democracy works: “Everybody knows that those who go through the voting process have a louder voice than those who don’t,” he said. Carolina Santos, a single working mother struggling to make her mortgage payments, said bankrupt Puerto Rico has more important things to worry about than a status vote. “Maybe we should focus more on fixing our financial problems and our schools,” she said. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: puerto rico governor vows statehood push referendum winner juan reuters puerto rico governor monday said island vote favor becoming state despite low voter turnout widespread boycotts fair open process congress act upon an referendum sunday favored statehood percent landslide though voter turnout reached percent opponents governor ricardo russell push become state boycotted vote the plebiscite expected sway congress would agree make puerto rico state currently territory island struggling billion debt percent poverty rate viewed priority washington russell campaigned push statehood said telephone interview reuters go capital week urge federal lawmakers begin process admitting puerto rico union we make sure becomes issue russell said the vote comes critical time puerto rico whose hazy status dates acquisition united states spain contributed ongoing economic crisis last month island filed biggest municipal bankruptcy history its woes make statehood even urgent russell said statehood brings stability allows us fewer congress provides resources people said sunday referendum cost puerto rico million million according government estimates island fifth since third sentiments triumphed though none moved congress act if going go venezuela cuba afghanistan push democracy abroad got territories said but puerto ricas skeptical island status change this waste time said taxi driver felix salasarar adding federal lawmakers look voter turnout say people working governor may perception washington sunday vote fair the department justice april called russell change ballot language initially give voters option remain territory russell told reuters made decision territory option russell equates colonialism already lost previous status referendum making year vote choice statehood independence the justice department viewed language politically unfair millions puerto ricas favor territory status prompting russell add territory option but justice department never reviewed approved new language to sure sunday results reflect true nature puerto ricas views statehood fairly evenly divided favor based upon historical election results statehood russell example election percent vote but governor said democracy works everybody knows go voting process louder voice said carolina santos single working mother struggling make mortgage payments said bankrupt puerto rico important things worry status vote maybe focus fixing financial problems schools said politicsnews