according to dr. leopoldo figueroa, a member of the "partido estadista puertorriqueño" (puerto rican statehood party) and the only member of the puerto rico house of representatives who was not a member of the ppd, the law was repressive and in violation of the first amendment of the us constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech. as such, the law was seen as an assault on the civil rights of every puerto rican.