Puerto Rico Governor to Attend National Governors Association Meeting

Trip precedes summit focused on Puerto Rico's potential statehood

Feb. 18, 2026 at 2:07pm

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Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González Colón will travel to Washington, D.C. this week to attend the winter meeting of the National Governors Association (NGA). The trip comes ahead of a planned summit in March that will focus on Puerto Rico's potential statehood.

Why it matters

González Colón has been a vocal advocate for Puerto Rico's statehood, pointing to the results of several local plebiscites as evidence of the island's desire to become the 51st U.S. state. Her participation in the NGA meeting signals her continued efforts to advance Puerto Rico's interests at the federal level.

The details

The Governor's office indicated that the NGA meeting is a key component of ongoing efforts to advocate for the island's interests. González Colón's trip follows a visit to Washington in January 2025 for the presidential inauguration, during which she held meetings with members of Congress and presidential nominees.

  • Governor González Colón will travel to Washington, D.C. this week for the NGA winter meeting.
  • A summit focused on Puerto Rico's potential statehood is planned for March.

The players

Jenniffer González Colón

The Governor of Puerto Rico, who has been a vocal advocate for the island's statehood.

National Governors Association (NGA)

An organization that brings together the governors of the 50 U.S. states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the five U.S. territories.

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What they’re saying

“González Colón's participation in the NGA meeting comes as the organization navigates internal disagreements, though the specific nature of the controversies was not detailed in the statement.”

— Lucas Fernandez, Author (world-today-news.com)

What’s next

The upcoming summit in March, dedicated to the issue of statehood, signals a continued push for Puerto Rico's admission as the 51st state.

The takeaway

Governor González Colón's attendance at the NGA meeting and the upcoming statehood summit demonstrate her ongoing efforts to advocate for Puerto Rico's interests and the island's potential path to becoming the 51st U.S. state.