Governor of Puerto Rico
Encyclopedia
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government
of the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico
. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico. Prior to that date, the Governor of Puerto Rico was appointed by either the King of Spain (1510-1898) or the President of the United States
(1898–1946).
became the first Puerto Rican
to assume, temporarily, the governorship of Puerto Rico. He served until the arrival of Jerónimo De Agüero Campuzano, who assumed the governorship of the island that same year.
For several months in 1923, Juan Bernardo Huyke
served as interim Governor of Puerto Rico between the administrations of Emmet Montgomery Reily
and Horace Mann Towner.
In 1946, President
Harry Truman appointed Jesús T. Piñero
to the governor's seat. This marked the first time in history that the Government of the United States appointed a native Puerto Rican to hold the highest office on the island. Piñero remained in office until 1948, when Puerto Ricans were allowed to choose their governor for the first time.
In 1948, Luis Muñoz Marín
became the first Puerto Rican elected to the governorship of Puerto Rico.
was approved by the United States Congress. Section Three of Article IV of the Constitution establishes the requirements that must be met in order to become Governor. The governor must be a citizen of the United States
, a resident of Puerto Rico for five consecutive years and at least 35 years old at the time of the election.
The Governor serves a four year term which begins on the second day of January after the year of his election and ends on the date his successor takes office. Consecutive service is unlimited, according to the Constitution of the Island. As an example Luis Muñoz Marín, its first elected governor, served for four consecutive terms from 1949 to 1965; the Constitution of the Commonwealth was ratified by the people of Puerto Rico in 1952.
On the same ballot as the Governor the people vote for the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
. This elected official represents Puerto Rico in the Congress of the United States. Candidates for Governor and Resident Commissioner are not paired, meaning that, unlike Presidential elections in the United States (where voters cannot choose between a President from one political party and a Vice President from another party), the people can choose and elect candidates from different parties (which has only occurred in 2004).
and all the lower courts of the island.
The Governor must address the Legislature at the beginning of each year to present two speeches, one is the State of the Commonwealth speech and another in which the Governor presents the "Recommended Budget" for the next fiscal year in which the Governor proposes to the State Legislature a budget for the consideration of said body. He is also the Commander in Chief of the Puerto Rico National Guard
and the chief diplomat.
and conviction) of a sitting Governor, the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico
would then take the office of Governor until the end of the four-year term. In case the Secretary of State is unwilling or unable to assume it, the Attorney General
(or, as the position is known, the Justice Department Secretary) would temporarily assume the governorship, followed by the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Labor and Human Resources, the Secretary of Transportation and Public Works, the Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, the Secretary of Health and the Secretary of Agriculture, until the Legislative Assembly met to elect by majority vote of all of its members a Governor for the rest of the term. See, Sections 7-10 of Article 4 of the Constitution of Puerto Rico
.
Contrary to some other states, if the Governor is temporarily away from Puerto Rico, the Secretary of State, or in his absence the highest ranking Cabinet member in the line of succession, becomes Acting Governor until the Governor's return. In decades past, when off-island gubernatorial travel was infrequent, the powers of the governorship rarely devolved upon the Secretary of State or other Cabinet officers. More frequent traveling by recent Governors have turned the Acting Governorship a much more common occurrence. During the Fortuño administration, not only Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock
has frequently served as Acting Governor, but Attorneys General Antonio Sagardía
and Guillermo Somoza
and Treasury Secretaries Juan Carlos Puig
and Jesús Méndez
, have served as Acting Governors as well.
and Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock
signed an Executive Order providing for the celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Governorship of Puerto Rico, recognizing that although it appears that Juan Ponce de León
was appointed in 1508, the first references to him as Governor "of the island of San Juan" (as Puerto Rico was then named) do not appear under King Ferdinand's signature until 1510, according to Puerto Rico's Official Historian, doctor Luis González-Vale. Fortuño appointed Dr. González-Vale to chair the newly-created Quincentenary Commission of the Governorship of Puerto Rico. Members include, among others, Secretary McClintock, Sacred Heart University President José Jaime Rivera, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico President Manuel Fernós, San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini
, Guaynabo Mayor Hector O'Neill and Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (IPC) Executive Director Mercedes Gómez. The Governor also appointed an advisory board which includes legendary former IPC Executive Director and anthropologist, don Ricardo Alegría
.
Governor Fortuño held a ceremony on October 12, 2010 at Plaza San José in Old San Juan inaugurating the 13-month official celebration of the Quincentenary, and a commemorative event at Ponce De León's birthplace, Santervas del Campo, Spain in January, 2011. An academic congress on the early centuries of the institution of the governorship was held in San Juan, Ponce and San Germán
in the spring of 2011.
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
of the Commonwealth
Commonwealth (United States insular area)
In the terminology of the United States insular areas, a Commonwealth is a type of organized but unincorporated dependent territory.The definition of "Commonwealth" according to current U.S. State Department policy reads: "The term 'Commonwealth' does not describe or provide for any specific...
of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico. Prior to that date, the Governor of Puerto Rico was appointed by either the King of Spain (1510-1898) or the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
(1898–1946).
The first Puerto Rican governors
In 1579, Juan Ponce de León IIJuan Ponce de Leon II
Juan Ponce de León II , was the first Puerto Rican to assume, though temporarily, the governorship of Puerto Rico.-Early years:...
became the first Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
to assume, temporarily, the governorship of Puerto Rico. He served until the arrival of Jerónimo De Agüero Campuzano, who assumed the governorship of the island that same year.
For several months in 1923, Juan Bernardo Huyke
Juan Bernardo Huyke
Juan Bernardo Huyke served as interim Governor of Puerto Rico several months in 1923.-Background:Huyke was born in Arroyo, Puerto Rico on June 11, 1880. He was the son of Don Enrique Huyke and Doña Carmen Bozello. He was an attorney, writer, publisher, educator, and statesman. He served as...
served as interim Governor of Puerto Rico between the administrations of Emmet Montgomery Reily
Emmet Montgomery Reily
Emmet Montgomery Reily , sometimes E. Mont Reily, was a Texas and, later, Missouri politician who served a number of local offices, especially in Fort Worth and Kansas City. He was active in the Republican Party. He was later appointed as Governor of Puerto Rico by President Warren G...
and Horace Mann Towner.
In 1946, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Harry Truman appointed Jesús T. Piñero
Jesus T. Piñero
Jesús Toribio Piñero Jiménez was the first native Puerto Rican to be appointed governor of Puerto Rico by the Government of the United States.-Early years:...
to the governor's seat. This marked the first time in history that the Government of the United States appointed a native Puerto Rican to hold the highest office on the island. Piñero remained in office until 1948, when Puerto Ricans were allowed to choose their governor for the first time.
In 1948, Luis Muñoz Marín
Luis Muñoz Marín
Don José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician. Regarded as the "father of modern Puerto Rico," he was the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. Muñoz Marín was the son of Luis Muñoz Rivera, a renowned autonomist leader...
became the first Puerto Rican elected to the governorship of Puerto Rico.
Requirements to hold office
On July 25, 1952, the Constitution of Puerto RicoConstitution of Puerto Rico
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is the controlling government document of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is composed of nine articles detailing the structure of the government as well as the function of several of its institutions. The document also contains an extensive...
was approved by the United States Congress. Section Three of Article IV of the Constitution establishes the requirements that must be met in order to become Governor. The governor must be a citizen of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a resident of Puerto Rico for five consecutive years and at least 35 years old at the time of the election.
The Governor serves a four year term which begins on the second day of January after the year of his election and ends on the date his successor takes office. Consecutive service is unlimited, according to the Constitution of the Island. As an example Luis Muñoz Marín, its first elected governor, served for four consecutive terms from 1949 to 1965; the Constitution of the Commonwealth was ratified by the people of Puerto Rico in 1952.
General elections
The Governor is elected by a direct vote from the people. The Constitution states that if the margin of victory of a candidate is less than .5% of the votes a full recount of the election must take place. So far, only in the elections of 1980 and 2004 has a recount taken place.On the same ballot as the Governor the people vote for the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
The Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives elected by the voters of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico every four years...
. This elected official represents Puerto Rico in the Congress of the United States. Candidates for Governor and Resident Commissioner are not paired, meaning that, unlike Presidential elections in the United States (where voters cannot choose between a President from one political party and a Vice President from another party), the people can choose and elect candidates from different parties (which has only occurred in 2004).
Powers of the governor
The Governor is head of the Government of Puerto Rico. He has the power to veto any number of projects that the Puerto Rican Legislature wishes to pass. The Governor also has the power to appoint the members of his cabinet, who in turn must be ratified by the Legislature. The Governor also has the power to appoint Justices to the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of Puerto Rico
The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico is the highest court of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, having judicial authority within Puerto Rico to interpret and decide questions of Commonwealth law. As the highest body of the judicial branch of the Puerto Rican government, it is analogous to one of the...
and all the lower courts of the island.
The Governor must address the Legislature at the beginning of each year to present two speeches, one is the State of the Commonwealth speech and another in which the Governor presents the "Recommended Budget" for the next fiscal year in which the Governor proposes to the State Legislature a budget for the consideration of said body. He is also the Commander in Chief of the Puerto Rico National Guard
Puerto Rico National Guard
The Puerto Rico National Guard is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico. It comprises both Army and Air National Guard components with a total authorized strength of 10,000 soldiers and airmen. The Constitution of the United States specifically...
and the chief diplomat.
Succession
Upon the death, resignation, or removal from office (by impeachmentImpeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
and conviction) of a sitting Governor, the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico
Secretary of State of Puerto Rico
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico provides for the position of Secretary of State of Puerto Rico who is first in line to exercise the role of acting Governor when the Governor is temporarily unavailable, whether because of being away from Puerto Rico or due to another temporary...
would then take the office of Governor until the end of the four-year term. In case the Secretary of State is unwilling or unable to assume it, the Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
(or, as the position is known, the Justice Department Secretary) would temporarily assume the governorship, followed by the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Labor and Human Resources, the Secretary of Transportation and Public Works, the Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, the Secretary of Health and the Secretary of Agriculture, until the Legislative Assembly met to elect by majority vote of all of its members a Governor for the rest of the term. See, Sections 7-10 of Article 4 of the Constitution of Puerto Rico
Constitution of Puerto Rico
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is the controlling government document of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is composed of nine articles detailing the structure of the government as well as the function of several of its institutions. The document also contains an extensive...
.
Contrary to some other states, if the Governor is temporarily away from Puerto Rico, the Secretary of State, or in his absence the highest ranking Cabinet member in the line of succession, becomes Acting Governor until the Governor's return. In decades past, when off-island gubernatorial travel was infrequent, the powers of the governorship rarely devolved upon the Secretary of State or other Cabinet officers. More frequent traveling by recent Governors have turned the Acting Governorship a much more common occurrence. During the Fortuño administration, not only Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth D. McClintock-Hernández is the current Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. Mr. McClintock served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign's National Hispanic Leadership Council in 2008, co-chaired Clinton's successful Puerto Rico primary campaign that year and served as the...
has frequently served as Acting Governor, but Attorneys General Antonio Sagardía
Antonio Sagardía
Antonio Sagardía-De Jesús served as Attorney General of Puerto Rico, appointed by Governor Luis Fortuño and sworn in by Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock on January 2, 2009. He resigned effective December 23, 2009.-Controversies:In May 2009 Mr...
and Guillermo Somoza
Guillermo Somoza
Guillermo Somoza currently serves as Puerto Rico's Attorney General, having been appointed by Governor Luis Fortuño after the resignation of Antonio Sagardía and confirmed by the Puerto Rico Senate in May, 2010. As such, he serves as Acting Governor when both Gov. Fortuño and Secretary of State...
and Treasury Secretaries Juan Carlos Puig
Juan Carlos Puig
Juan Carlos Puig was Governor Luis Fortuño's first Secretary of the Treasury of Puerto Rico, sworn in on January 2, 2009 by Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock. As such, Puig was second-in-line of succession of the governorship, should Fortuño, McClintock and the Attorney General not be...
and Jesús Méndez
Jesús Méndez
Jesús David José Méndez is an Argentine football midfielder who plays for Rosario Central on loan from Boca Juniors.-Career:...
, have served as Acting Governors as well.
Quincentenary Commission of the Governorship of Puerto Rico
On April 13, 2010, Governor Luis FortuñoLuis Fortuño
Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset is the governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States of America. Fortuño is also the president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico , a member of the Republican National Committee, and will be president of the Council of State...
and Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth D. McClintock-Hernández is the current Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. Mr. McClintock served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign's National Hispanic Leadership Council in 2008, co-chaired Clinton's successful Puerto Rico primary campaign that year and served as the...
signed an Executive Order providing for the celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Governorship of Puerto Rico, recognizing that although it appears that Juan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León
Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer. He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown. He led the first European expedition to Florida, which he named...
was appointed in 1508, the first references to him as Governor "of the island of San Juan" (as Puerto Rico was then named) do not appear under King Ferdinand's signature until 1510, according to Puerto Rico's Official Historian, doctor Luis González-Vale. Fortuño appointed Dr. González-Vale to chair the newly-created Quincentenary Commission of the Governorship of Puerto Rico. Members include, among others, Secretary McClintock, Sacred Heart University President José Jaime Rivera, Interamerican University of Puerto Rico President Manuel Fernós, San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini
Jorge Santini
Jorge Santini Padilla in San Juan, Puerto Rico) is an Puerto Rican Politician and current Mayor of San Juan City.-Biography:...
, Guaynabo Mayor Hector O'Neill and Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (IPC) Executive Director Mercedes Gómez. The Governor also appointed an advisory board which includes legendary former IPC Executive Director and anthropologist, don Ricardo Alegría
Ricardo Alegría
Ricardo Alegría was a Puerto Rican scholar, cultural anthropologist and archeologist known as the "Father of Modern Puerto Rican Archaeology".-Early years:...
.
Governor Fortuño held a ceremony on October 12, 2010 at Plaza San José in Old San Juan inaugurating the 13-month official celebration of the Quincentenary, and a commemorative event at Ponce De León's birthplace, Santervas del Campo, Spain in January, 2011. An academic congress on the early centuries of the institution of the governorship was held in San Juan, Ponce and San Germán
San Germán, Puerto Rico
San Germán is a municipality located in the southwestern region of Puerto Rico, south of Mayagüez and Maricao; north of Lajas; east of Hormigueros and Cabo Rojo; and west of Sabana Grande. San Germán is spread over 18 wards and San Germán Pueblo...
in the spring of 2011.