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Mayors in Puerto Rico

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(Redirected from List of current mayors of Puerto Rico) Highest-ranking officer of corresponding municipality
Mayor
StyleThe Honorable
Term length4 years
Formationseveral laws that were repealed in favor of the Autonomous Municipalities Act of 1991
Politics of Puerto Rico
Constitution and law
Executive
Legislative
Judicial
Elections
Municipalities
Federal relations
Political status

The mayors of Puerto Rico encompass the different mayors of the municipalities of Puerto Rico; each mayor being the highest-ranking officer of their corresponding municipality. Several laws existed that created the post of mayor in each municipality but they were all repealed in favor of a broad and encompassing law known as the Autonomous Municipalities Act of 1991.

The mayors do not constitute a body, and are not required by law to do so, but they have voluntarily assembled into two organizations:

Each mayor is also the commander-in-chief of its corresponding municipal police.

Background

Historically mayors used to be minor political figures in the Puerto Rican landscape as the executive branch of the government of Puerto Rico exerted an overarching authority over the municipalities. However, in recent years, the executive branch has adopted a decentralized form of government and started to focus on statewide politics rather than on local or regional ones. These policies have granted a high degree of autonomy to its municipalities and their mayors, and has allowed certain highly populated municipalities with robust local economies —such as Caguas and San Juan— to prosper and exercise a high degree of autonomy, while leaving others with mild or little population —such as Florida and Moca— with challenges to overcome. Nevertheless, these policies have made mayors highly influential on the local, regional, and statewide economy of Puerto Rico, as well as in its politics and society. An example of this would be the Willie Tax which was implemented independently in Caguas by its former mayor, William Miranda Marín. The tax was subsequently adopted by other municipalities and eventually evolved into the statewide sales tax known as the Puerto Rico Sales and Use Tax (IVU).

Today, mayors have become strong political stewardesses and anchors for other politicians seeking support from the citizens living in their municipalities. It has also become increasingly common to involve and discuss political matters with the mayors, their assemblies, and the organizations to which they belong to, before implementing public policies, and approving or vetoing bills. Both the mayors and the central government of Puerto Rico, including the Governor and the Legislative Assembly, have been able to work in unison and symbiotically to up bring Puerto Rico and its municipalities.

The Puerto Rico Mayors Association was founded in 1949 by Felisa Rincón de Gautier. The Puerto Rico Mayors Federationwas founded in 1968 by Carlos Romero Barceló as the Federation of Municipalities of Puerto Rico. The president of the Federation as of 2017 is Carlos Molina Rodríguez, after succeeding Hector O'Neill.

Duties and powers

Mayors in Puerto Rico have the following duties:

  • Organize, direct, and supervise all the administrative activities of the municipality
  • Prepare the general budget of the municipality
  • Administer the budget and handle credit transfers
  • Hire professional, technical, and consulting services deemed necessary, convenient, or useful
  • Supervise, administer, and authorize fund disbursements received by the municipality.

Requirements

The law states the following requirements to be a mayor in Puerto Rico. The candidate must:

  • Be at least 21 years old.
  • Know how to read and write.
  • Be a citizen of the United States and Puerto Rico.
  • Lived in the corresponding municipality for no less than a year before the election, and be a certified voter in it.
  • Not be convicted of a felony or misdemeanor which involves moral deprivation.
  • Not be destitute of employment for improper conduct.
  • Not be declared mentally unfit by a court of law.

Removal from office

According to an amend signed in 2006, a mayor in Puerto Rico can be removed from office for the following reasons:

  • Being convicted of a felony.
  • Being convicted of a misdemeanor which involves moral deprivation.
  • Incurring in immoral conduct.
  • Incurring in illegal acts which imply abandoning detrimental to the public function, inexcusable and unjustifiable negligence or conduct hindering to the best public interests. Such conduct must have affected the interests of the population and the rights of its inhabitants, must be related to the administration of the position of mayor, and must substantial in nature.

To determine the latter, any person can present charges against a mayor in front of a committee, which will then evaluate them and submit a verdict.

Election

Like most political positions in Puerto Rico, mayors are elected every four years in a general election. Voters registered as residents of each municipality vote for their respective mayors. As of now, there is no limit in terms for mayors.

Mayors 2021–2025

There are currently 41 mayors affiliated with the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), 36 are affiliated with the New Progressive Party (PNP), and 1 affiliated with Project Dignity (PD). The longest tenured current mayor in the Commonwealth is the mayor of Dorado, Carlos López Rivera. López has been serving as mayor since being elected in 1987. The current term ends in January 2025, following the 2024 general election.

List of mayors
Municipality Current mayor Party Took office Past
Adjuntas José Hiram Soto Rivera PPD 2021
Aguada Christian Cortés PPD 2021
Aguadilla Julio Roldán Concepción PPD 2021
Aguas Buenas Karina Nieves Serrano PNP 2022
Aibonito William Alicea Pérez PNP 2009
Añasco Kabir Solares PNP 2021
Arecibo Carlos (Tito) Ramírez Irizarry PPD 2021
Arroyo Eric Bachier Román PPD 2013
Barceloneta Wanda Soler Rosario PPD 2012
Barranquitas Elliot Colón Blanco PNP 2019
Bayamón Ramón Luis Rivera, Jr. PNP 2001
Cabo Rojo Jorge Morales Wiscovitch (Jorgito) PNP 2021
Caguas William Miranda Torres PPD 2010
Camuy Gabriel Hernández Rodríguez PNP 2020
Canóvanas Lornna Soto PNP 2014
Carolina José Aponte Dalmau PPD 2007
Cataño Julio Alicea Vasallo PNP 2021
Cayey Rolando Ortíz Velázquez PPD 1997
Ceiba Samuel Rivera Báez PNP 2021
Ciales Alexander Burgos Otero PNP 2021
Cidra David Concepción González PPD 2021
Coamo Juan Carlos García Padilla PPD 2001
Comerío José A. Santiago PPD 2001
Corozal Luis (Luiggi) García PNP 2021
Culebra Edilberto (Junito) Romero PNP 2021
Dorado Carlos López Rivera PPD 1987
Fajardo José Anibal Meléndez Méndez PNP 2020
Florida José Gerena Polanco PNP 2013
Guánica Ismael (Titi) Rodríguez Ramos PPD 2021
Guayama O'Brain Vázquez PPD 2022
Guayanilla Raúl Rivera Rodríguez PNP 2021
Guaynabo Edward O'Neill PNP 2021
Gurabo Rosachely Rivera Santana PNP 2017
Hatillo Carlos Román Román PPD 2022
Hormigueros Pedro García Figueroa PPD 2005
Humacao Julio Geigel PNP 2022
Isabela Miguel (Ricky) Méndez Pérez PPD 2021
Jayuya Jorge González Otero PPD 1997
Juana Díaz Ramón Hernández Torres PPD 2001
Juncos Alfredo Alejandro Carrión PPD 2001
Lajas Jayson (Jay) Martínez PPD 2021
Lares Fabián Arroyo Rodríguez PPD 2021
Las Marías Edwin Soto Santiago PNP 2017
Las Piedras Miguel López Rivera PNP 2009
Loíza Julia M. Nazario PPD 2017
Luquillo Jesús Márquez Rodríguez PPD 2013
Manatí José Sánchez González PNP 2017
Maricao Wilfredo (Juny) Ruiz PPD 2021
Maunabo Ángel Omar Lafuente Amaro PNP 2021
Mayagüez Jorge Ramos PPD 2022 List
Moca Ángel (Beto) Pérez PNP 2021
Morovis Carmen Maldonado González PPD 2017
Naguabo Miraidaliz Rosario Pagán PPD 2021
Naranjito Orlando Ortíz Chevres PNP 2009 List
Orocovis Jesús Colón Berlingeri PNP 1998
Patillas Maritza Sánchez Neris PNP 2021
Peñuelas Gregory Gonsález Souchet PPD 2019
Ponce Marlese Sifre PPD 2023 List
Quebradillas Heriberto Vélez PPD 2005
Rincón Carlos López Bonilla PPD 2001
Río Grande Ángel "Bori" González PPD 2014
Sabana Grande Marcos Gilberto Valentín Flores PPD 2021
Salinas Karilyn Bonilla Colón PPD 2013
San Germán Virgilio Olivera Olivera PNP 2021
San Juan Miguel Romero Lugo PNP 2021 List
San Lorenzo Jaime Alverio Ramos PNP 2021
San Sebastián Javier Jiménez PD 2005
Santa Isabel Rafael (Billy) Burgos Santiago PPD 2021
Toa Alta Clemente Agosto PPD 2013
Toa Baja Bernardo Márquez García PNP 2017
Trujillo Alto Pedro Rodríguez González PPD 2022
Utuado Jorge Pérez Heredia PNP 2021
Vega Alta María Vega Pagán PNP 2021
Vega Baja Marcos Cruz Molina PPD 2013
Vieques Junito Corcino PNP 2021
Villalba Luis Javier (Javy) Hernández Ortiz PPD 2021
Yabucoa Rafael Surillo PPD 2013
Yauco Angel Torres Ortiz PNP 2017

References

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  2. "Hon. Pedro R. Pierluisi | Puerto Rico". Pierluisi.house.gov. Archived from the original on 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2012-11-30.
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Mayoralties in Puerto Rico
Mayors in Puerto Rico
   

    Ángel Luis Torres Ortiz
    Angel Pérez Otero
    Alfredo Alejandro Carrión
    Angelo Cruz Ramos
    Aníbal Meléndez Rivera
    Bernardo Márquez García
    Bobby Ramirez Kurtz
    Carlos López Bonilla
    Carlos López Rivera
    Carmen Maldonado González
    Clemente Agosto
    Eduard Rivera Correa
    Eduardo Cintrón
    Edwin García Feliciano
    Enrique Questell
    Eric Bachier Román
    Francisco López López
    Gilberto Pérez Valentín

    Heriberto Vélez
    Isabelo Molina
    Isidro Negrón
    Iván Solís
    Jaime H. Barlucea
    Javier Carrasquillo
    Javier Jiménez
    Jesús Colón Berlingeri
    Jesús Márquez Rodríguez
    Jorge Estévez Martínez
    Jorge González Otero
    Jorge L. Marquéz Pérez
    Jorge Pérez Heredia
    José A. Rodríguez Cruz
    José A. Santiago
    José Aponte Dalmau
    José Avilés Santiago
    José Gerena Polanco

    José Guillermo Rodríguez
    José Javier Rodríguez
    José Luis Cruz Cruz
    José I. Rodríguez Ruiz
    José Román Abreu
    José Rosario
    José Sánchez González
    Juan Carlos García Padilla
    Juan José Rodríguez
    Julia María Nazario Fuentes
    Karilyn Bonilla Colón
    Lornna J. Soto Villanueva
    Luis Arroyo Chiques
    Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz
    Manuel Santiago Mendoza
    Marcelo Trujillo
    Marcos Cruz Molina
    Marcos Irizarry

    José Guillermo Rodríguez
    Miguel Ortíz Vélez
    Norberto Soto Figueroa
    Noé Marcano
    Orlando Ortíz Chevres
    Pedro García Figueroa
    Rafael Surillo
    Ramón Hernández Torres
    Ramón Luis Rivera Jr.
    Rolando Ortíz Velázquez
    Rosachely Rivera Santana
    Santos Seda
    Sergio Torres Torres
    Victor Emeric
    Walter Torres Maldonado
    Wanda Soler Rosario
    William Alicea Pérez
    William Miranda Torres

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