About ILE
The Puerto Rico Institute for Economic Liberty is a non-partisan, nonprofit (1101.01 (a)(2)(B), 501(c)(3)) organization founded in 2019, which was born out of a genuine desire to find a new way for residents of Puerto Rico to move forward. This new path must be focused on equal opportunities, where effort and merit are rewarded, and all people are empowered to accomplish their goals and achieve the kind of lives they value.
What we want
To live in a Puerto Rico where everyone has the ability to prosper in a free and open society.
What we believe
- Puerto Ricans should have the opportunity to determine their own future.
- Markets enhance individual flourishing.
- Effort and talent are worth more than connections.
- The government should facilitate, not impede
- The dream of every Puerto Rican can be achieved in Puerto Rico.
How we get there
We are a free market think-do tank that provides knowledge and offers recommendations to remove public sector barriers and, as such, enable greater opportunities and economic growth in Puerto Rico. To accomplish this, we will:
- Develop economic public policy supported by scientific research;
- Promote the principles, ideas, and solutions based on free market;
- Obtain answers from our government on actions that interfere with the individual’s potential and the free market in Puerto Rico;
- Educate and engage Puerto Ricans in reforms that create opportunities.
Issues we focus on
- Promote a regulatory environment that is inducive to investment and business appropriability.
- Support free access to the market for everyone, not just for those who can afford it.
- Streamline the process for people to open businesses and work in their field of choice.
- Pursue accountability in public administration for citizens to assess their government.
- Make sure public resources are used efficiently and in the best interest of the people.
- Present issues of free market from the perspective of how they impact the everyday life of Puerto Rico’s residents.
Our Philosophy
At ILE, we believe individual liberties, the rule of law, property rights, and a limited government, sustain a healthy market economy which offers the greatest opportunity of freedom and prosperity for all. Prosperity comes when society respects the dignity of each person and his or her right to act as a moral agent. We believe individuals must see themselves as the active agents they are, and not passive victims. They must be empowered, not trapped under a paternalistic bureaucracy.
Personal freedom and the free-market economy are continuously threatened by the power of big-government intervening to allegedly enhance social justice, equity, or efficiency in markets; but these efforts end up leading to the kind of crony capitalism that is so prevalent today: a system that claims to help everyone but benefits only a few at the expense of the many; a system that poorly manages rather than solves our most pressing issues.
Our Philosophy (continued)
We intend to create civic discourse with intellectually rigorous, data-driven information, on a wide range of existing and emerging policy issues that affect government, family, and society. It is our vision to make Puerto Rico a place where everyone wants to live and work. We aspire to be the institution of reference on economic policy issues while reinventing Puerto Rico’s economy, from being a sluggish, government-driven one to an entrepreneurial, private sector-driven one guided by market-based solutions.
Our Story
At the time of Hurricane María (in September 2017), Jorge L. Rodríguez was thinking about what to do next. He was transitioning from PACIV, the international engineering firm serving the biopharmaceutical manufacturing sector he founded in 1997, after he moved out of the position of president. Jorge knew that his next endeavor should be one that would benefit his homeland, Puerto Rico.
After analyzing various options, he decided, along with his founding fellows at ILE, that the establishment of a free market think-do tank in Puerto Rico should be his next project. As a result, Jorge now dedicates most of his time, effort, and resources to ILE. In 2020, Jorge was awarded an Advanced Leadership Initiative (ALI) fellowship from Harvard University. ALI focuses on educating and preparing established leaders in the society to tackle the world’s societal challenges, within their next career stage. During his time as an ALI fellow (2020-2021), Jorge developed and presented as his final project, the establishment of a free market think-do tank, called Puerto Rico Institute for Economic Liberty; and, at the same time, he academically prepared himself in the areas and topics on which the Institute will be working.
Our Story (continued)
The idea of ILE arose among entrepreneurs and leaders of the private sector with a serious concern around the lack of understanding and appreciation of free market-based principles, as a solution to attend to the socio-economic challenges Puerto Rico faces. With this came a recognition that there was a glaring need for an institution that would take the road less traveled to defend economically sound public policies. Our belief is that a free market think-do tank based on the school of thought of classic liberalism is the lever to move Puerto Rico forward, using evidence-based and academically sound research to establish solid arguments while staying away from partisan politics.
Contribute now for a free and prosperous Puerto Rico
With your help, we will promote the ideals of individual liberty and responsibility, the rule of law, private property, and effective and accountable government to increase opportunity in Puerto Rico and enable prosperity for all.