Puerto Rican voters reject constitutional — amendments

Monday, August 20, 2012

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Voters in Puerto Rico have narrowly rejected constitutional amendments that would have reduced the size of the US territory’s legislature and given judges the right to deny bail.

Preliminary results say 52 per cent of the 333,733 voters rejected the legislative measure and 48 per cent favoured it. Fifty-three percent opposed the bail measure and 47 per cent supported it.

The results mean Puerto Rico will remain the only place in the Western Hemisphere where everyone is entitled to bail regardless of the alleged crime.

Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz says that he accepts the defeat and that he respects the will of the people. Schatz and Governor Luis Fortuno were among supporters of the referendum.

Fortuno has not yet commented on yesterday’s referendum results.

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