"The most important things in my life have been being governor of Puerto Rico and eliminating the old tradition that was established by Muñoz himself of being a boss. He was the boss of the government and there was no opposition in Puerto Rico. That was the thing I broke to make Puerto Rico a two-party system, a truly democratic society."

“We speak Spanish but we think American. We don't want to be a colony, we don't want to be inferior. We want to be equal.”

“Revolutionary in my ideas, liberal in my objectives and conservative in my methods.”

“The scholars and critics all called it kitsch, everyone thought I was crazy to buy them.”

“I hope I will live to see a final meeting of the minds between Puerto Rico and statehood, but if I don't live that long, I am certain it will happen.”

“Industry is not a collection of machines and tools and buildings. It is a social entity that has the responsibility of realizing the happiness of those who work in it.”

“Not only are Puerto Ricans citizens by birth, but one would be hard-pressed to find a Puerto Rican without a sister in New York or a son in Chicago, a cousin in Orlando or a daughter in Honolulu or Oklahoma City.”