Hernán Padilla
Encyclopedia
Hernán Padilla in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
, is a retired physician and former two-term Mayor of San Juan
, Puerto Rico, the oldest city in the United States.
After training as a nephrologist
, he entered private practice and served in the Puerto Rico National Guard
. In 1967, he became politically active, participating in the pro-statehood campaign leading to the July 27 political status plebiscite, as a leader of Estadistas Unidos
(Statehooders United), a non-partisan group founded by long-time Statehood Republican Party gubernatorial candidate Luis A. Ferré
. On August 20, 1967, at the assembly in Carolina, Puerto Rico at which the organization was dissolved, Padilla and other party leaders proposed the creation of a new political party that would eventually be known as the New Progressive Party (NPP) or Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP) in Spanish.
In January, 1969, after the NPP's electoral triumph and his own election as a state representative, in spite of being a freshman, he was selected as House Majority Leader for the 1969-1972 term. After the NPP's defeat in 1972 and his own reelection, he served as Minority Whip until 1976. In 1976, after a three-way competition with attorney Baltasar Corrada del Río
and Senator Sila Nazario for the NPP nomination for Mayor of San Juan, Padilla was elected to the post, succeeding newly-elected Governor Carlos Romero Barceló
and Carlos S. Quirós
who served a days-long stint as mayor following Romero's swearing-in as governor and the official beginning of the 1977-1980 term. His term as mayor was marked by a major expansion of sports and community facilities and the first attempt to wrestle with San Juan's looming solid waste crisis. He also served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Reelected as mayor in 1980, Padilla became increasingly dissatisfied with Romero and the incumbent governor's capacity to lead the party to another victory in 1984 after barely winning reelection by a less than one-half of one percent margin in 1980. The tensions between both leaders led to Padilla splitting from the NPP and creating the Puerto Rican Renewal Party (PRP), and aspiring for Governor under the PRP banner. Pro-statehood votes in 1984 were split between the PRP and the NPP, which renominated Romero, and the Popular Democratic Party
was returned to power through the election to an unprecedented non-consecutive second term of Rafael Hernández Colón
as Governor.
After 1984, he returned to medical practice as a nephrologist
, serving at the National Capital Area for Kaiser Permanente. In 1991 he was the subject of one television advertisement by Kaiser that was regularly aired across the United States.
Padilla channelled his post-1984 political energies through national initiatives, serving as chairman for the US Council for Puerto Rico Statehood (USCPRS). He has rejoined the NPP and was the surprise keynote speaker at the party's August 2010 convention in Río Grande
, at the invitation of party president, Gov. Luis Fortuño
, who considers Padilla one of his mentors.
Padilla now lives in Miramar, Florida
. He is a member of Fraternidad Fi Sigma Alfa.
In 2009, he was appointed to represent the Puerto Rico House of Representatives on the five-member board of directors
of the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority
that regulates public-private partnerships in Puerto Rico.
Dr. Padilla writes a weekly column in the largest circulation newspaper in Puerto Rico, El Nuevo Dia
, about current political, ideological, economic and administrative issues in Puerto Rico. He also writes a column for El Sentinel
, a Spanish weekly publication of the Sun Sentinel in South Florida. His columns can be accessed at his blog: http://blog.hernanpadilla.com.
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...
, is a retired physician and former two-term Mayor of San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Puerto Rico, the oldest city in the United States.
After training as a nephrologist
Nephrology
Nephrology is a branch of internal medicine and pediatrics dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney.-Scope of the specialty:...
, he entered private practice and served in 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...
. In 1967, he became politically active, participating in the pro-statehood campaign leading to the July 27 political status plebiscite, as a leader of Estadistas Unidos
Estadistas Unidos
Estadistas Unidos was a non-partisan organization created by don Luis A. Ferré in January, 1967 after the Statehood Republican Party , of which he was its long-time gubernatorial candidate, met at the San Jerónimo Hilton hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico and refused to defend the statehood option in...
(Statehooders United), a non-partisan group founded by long-time Statehood Republican Party gubernatorial candidate Luis A. Ferré
Luis A. Ferré
Don Luis Alberto Ferré Aguayo was a Puerto Rican engineer, industrialist, politician, philanthropist, and a patron of the arts. He was the third Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1969 to 1973, and the founding father of the New Progressive Party which advocates for Puerto Rico...
. On August 20, 1967, at the assembly in Carolina, Puerto Rico at which the organization was dissolved, Padilla and other party leaders proposed the creation of a new political party that would eventually be known as the New Progressive Party (NPP) or Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP) in Spanish.
In January, 1969, after the NPP's electoral triumph and his own election as a state representative, in spite of being a freshman, he was selected as House Majority Leader for the 1969-1972 term. After the NPP's defeat in 1972 and his own reelection, he served as Minority Whip until 1976. In 1976, after a three-way competition with attorney Baltasar Corrada del Río
Baltasar Corrada del Río
Baltasar Corrada del Río is a former politician from Puerto Rico. He held various high political offices in the island, including President of the Puerto Rico Civil Rights Commission, Resident Commissioner , Mayor of the capital city of San Juan , Puerto Rico's 15th Secretary of State and...
and Senator Sila Nazario for the NPP nomination for Mayor of San Juan, Padilla was elected to the post, succeeding newly-elected Governor Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Antonio Romero Barceló is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fifth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the second governor to be elected from the New Progressive Party and also Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001, making him one of the more successful...
and Carlos S. Quirós
Carlos S. Quirós
Carlos S. Quirós is a former Puerto Rico government official who served as Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico for several days in 1977, after Mayor Carlos Romero Barceló was sworn in as Governor of Puerto Rico on January 2 and until Mayor-elect Hernán Padilla took office later in the month...
who served a days-long stint as mayor following Romero's swearing-in as governor and the official beginning of the 1977-1980 term. His term as mayor was marked by a major expansion of sports and community facilities and the first attempt to wrestle with San Juan's looming solid waste crisis. He also served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
Reelected as mayor in 1980, Padilla became increasingly dissatisfied with Romero and the incumbent governor's capacity to lead the party to another victory in 1984 after barely winning reelection by a less than one-half of one percent margin in 1980. The tensions between both leaders led to Padilla splitting from the NPP and creating the Puerto Rican Renewal Party (PRP), and aspiring for Governor under the PRP banner. Pro-statehood votes in 1984 were split between the PRP and the NPP, which renominated Romero, and the Popular Democratic Party
Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that supports Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and sovereignty, through the enhancement of Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth....
was returned to power through the election to an unprecedented non-consecutive second term of Rafael Hernández Colón
Rafael Hernández Colón
Rafael Hernández Colón is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fourth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for three non-consecutive terms, from 1973 to 1977 and from 1985 to 1993. An experienced politician, Hernández holds the record for being the youngest Governor of Puerto Rico,...
as Governor.
After 1984, he returned to medical practice as a nephrologist
Nephrology
Nephrology is a branch of internal medicine and pediatrics dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney.-Scope of the specialty:...
, serving at the National Capital Area for Kaiser Permanente. In 1991 he was the subject of one television advertisement by Kaiser that was regularly aired across the United States.
Padilla channelled his post-1984 political energies through national initiatives, serving as chairman for the US Council for Puerto Rico Statehood (USCPRS). He has rejoined the NPP and was the surprise keynote speaker at the party's August 2010 convention in Río Grande
Río Grande, Puerto Rico
Río Grande is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Northern Coastal Valley, North of Las Piedras, Naguabo and Ceiba; east of Loíza and Canóvanas and west of Luquillo. Río Grande is spread over eight wards and Río Grande Pueblo...
, at the invitation of party president, Gov. Luis Fortuño
Luis 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...
, who considers Padilla one of his mentors.
Padilla now lives in Miramar, Florida
Miramar, Florida
Miramar is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city was named after the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba. As of the 2010 census, the population was 122,041...
. He is a member of Fraternidad Fi Sigma Alfa.
In 2009, he was appointed to represent the Puerto Rico House of Representatives on the five-member board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority
Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority
The Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority was enacted by the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly and signed into law by Governor Luis Fortuño in order to regulate the creation of new public-private partnerships in Puerto Rico....
that regulates public-private partnerships in Puerto Rico.
Dr. Padilla writes a weekly column in the largest circulation newspaper in Puerto Rico, El Nuevo Dia
El Nuevo Día
El Nuevo Día is a Puerto Rican newspaper based in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico and distributed daily throughout Puerto Rico and some parts of the United States.- History :...
, about current political, ideological, economic and administrative issues in Puerto Rico. He also writes a column for El Sentinel
El Sentinel del Sur de la Florida
El Sentinel del Sur de la Florida is a weekly Spanish-language newspaper published in Fort Lauderdale, Florida by the Sun-Sentinel Company, a subsidiary of the Tribune Company of Chicago, which also publish the South Florida Sun-Sentinel...
, a Spanish weekly publication of the Sun Sentinel in South Florida. His columns can be accessed at his blog: http://blog.hernanpadilla.com.