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The foreign and intergovernmental relations of Puerto Rico are governed by the Commerce and Territorial Clause of the Constitution of the United States and, consequently, subject to the plenary powers of the United States Congress. Regardless, Puerto Rico has established several trade agreements with other nations, particularly with Hispanic American countries such as Colombia and Panamá. Such agreements require permission from the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Congress itself—most, however, are simply allowed by existent laws or trade agreements between the United States and other nations which supersede the trade agreement pursued by Puerto Rico. At the local level, Puerto Rico established by law that its foreign policy must be managed by the Department of State of Puerto Rico, an executive department. In a similar fashion, the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration, along with the Office of the Resident Commissioner, manage all its intergovernmental affairs before entities of or in the United States (including the federal government of the United States, local and state governments of the United States, and public or private entities in the United States). Both entities frequently assist the Department of State of Puerto Rico in engaging with Washington, D.C.-based ambassadors and federal agencies that handle Puerto Rico's foreign affairs, such as the U.S. Department of State and the Agency for International Development. The current Secretary of State is David Bernier from the Popular Democratic Party and member of the Democratic Party of the United States, while the current Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration is Juan Eugenio Hernández Mayoral also from the Popular Democratic and member of the Democratic Party. The Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico is the delegate elected by Puerto Ricans to represent them upon the United States Congress, specifically within the United States House of Representatives. The Resident Commissioner is allowed to serve on congressional committees, and functions in every respect as a legislator except being denied a vote on the final disposition of legislation on the House floor. The current Resident Commissioner is Pedro Pierluisi from the New Progressive Party and member of the Democratic Party of the United States. ==History== Prior to the arrival of Spaniards, the natives of Puerto Rico, the ''Taíno'', had direct foreign relations with other tribes of the Caribbean. The Taíno were known to have amicable relations with the tribes settled in the Greater and Lesser Antilles while it is widely believed that the Taíno were historical enemies of the Carib. It is unknown however if this applied to the Taíno of Puerto Rico as archeologists believe they may had been allies with the Carib at some point; findings so far have been inconclusive. Upon the arrivals of Spaniards in 1493, Puerto Rico opened up to both the New and Old World, and established trading routes with North, Central, and South America, as well as routes with Spain, Portugal, and Africa. Trading of vegetables, fruits, slaves, and minerals became an integral part of Puerto Rico's international development. After Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States as part of the Treaty of Paris, the United States and Puerto Rico began a long-standing metropolis-colony relationship.〔Truman R. Clark. ''Puerto Rico and the United States, 1917-1933.'' 1975. University of Pittsburgh Press. Page 129.〕 It is at this time that Puerto Rico became subject to the Commercial and Territory Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which restricts how and with whom it can engage internationally.〕}} Puerto Rico also became, as a byproduct, subject to the different treaties and trade agreements ratified by the United States. In 1920, after the enactment of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (also known as the Jones Act) Puerto Rico became restricted on which merchant marine it can use to import and export products. This is because the Jones Act prevents foreign-flagged ships from carrying cargo between two American ports (a practice known as cabotage). Because of the Jones Act, foreign ships inbound with goods from Central and South America, Western Europe, and Africa cannot stop in Puerto Rico, offload Puerto Rico-bound goods, load mainland-bound Puerto Rico-manufactured goods, and continue to U.S. ports. Instead, they must proceed directly to U.S. ports, where distributors break bulk and send Puerto Rico-bound manufactured goods to Puerto Rico across the ocean by U.S.-flagged ships.〕}} In modern times, Puerto Rico has been able to establish several treaties and trade agreements mostly with Hispanic American nations due to their cultural and linguistic similarities. Today, Puerto Rico has trade agreements with Colombia and Panamá, along with strong ties with its neighbors in the Caribbean Sea, particularly with the Dominican Republic and the United States Virgin Islands.〔〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Foreign and intergovernmental relations of Puerto Rico」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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