Rafael Hernández Colón
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the 4th Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. For other uses of the name Rafael Hernández, see Rafael Hernández (disambiguation).
| Rafael Hernández Colón | |
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| In office January 2, 1973/ January 2, 1985 – January 2, 1977/ January 2, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Luis A. Ferré(1973); Carlos Romero Barceló(1985) |
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| Succeeded by | Carlos Romero Barceló (1977); Pedro Rosselló (1993) |
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| Born | October 24, 1936 Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | Popular Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Lila Mayoral (First Lady); Nelsa Lopez (current) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Rafael Hernández Colón (born October 24, 1936 in Ponce, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican politician who was the fourth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for three non-consecutive terms (1973-1977, 1985-1993). An experienced politician, Hernández holds the record for being the youngest Governor of Puerto Rico, having won his first term at the age of 36. Hernández is also the person who has run for Governor the most times, a total of five. During his terms as Governor, Hernández Colón's administration was known for trying to invigorate the Puerto Rican economy as well as defending the current political status of the island.
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[edit] Education
Hernández Colón studied at Wayne in Pennsylvania, graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy & College, then had obtained a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University in 1956 where he graduated with honors. In 1956, he obtained his degree in Law from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, graduating magna cum laude and as valedictorian of his class.
He was married to Lila Mayoral, with whom he had four children: Rafael, Jose Alfredo, Dora Mercedes and Juan Eugenio. Juan Eugenio Hernandez Mayoral is currently a senator in the Puerto Rico Senate.
[edit] Political career
Hernández Colón affiliated himself with the Popular Democratic Party, or Partido Popular Democratico (PPD). He served as Associate Commissioner of Public Service under the governorship of Roberto Sánchez Vilella. In 1965 he was named Secretary of the Department of Justice. In 1968 he was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico, becoming the youngest Senator to hold a seat in the Senate at the time. A young political star, he was named President of the Senate until 1972, when he successfully ran for Governor of Puerto Rico.
[edit] First term (1973-1977)
Hernández Colón made an effort to get more international firms to invest in Puerto Rico and opposed President Gerald Ford's wishes to make Puerto Rico the 51st state. In 1974, Time Magazine named Rafael Hernandez Colon as one of the world's youngest world leaders.
During his first term, the island was wracked by recession. Hernández excerbated the situation by raising taxes and making costly purchases of failed entreprises. For example, the government bought a failed shipping line, Navieras. OVer the years, this purchase would cost the government of Puerto Rico over 500 million dollars in losses. He also instituted a tax known as "La Vampirita" because it was a retroactive tax. For these reasons and others, Hernández lost in 1976 to then Mayor of San Juan, Carlos Romero Barceló. He lost again to Barcelo in 1980; the margin of victory in the 1980 elections was small, 3,000 vote margin out of 1.6 million votes).
[edit] Second and third terms (1985-1993)
Hernández Colón ran again against Barcelo in the elections of November, 1984 and was victorious by about 54,000 votes (48 to 45% respectively). This was mainly due to the fact that his opponent's party had split. He again won re-election in 1988 election, besting his main rival Baltasar Corrada del Río by 49 to 46% ([1]). Hernández Colón became a travelling governor during his third and last tenure as governor. He also sponsored an unsuccessful bid to host the 2004 Olympic Games.
During his last term as Governor, his Popular Democratic Party faced many corruption and moral scandals, particularily in the Legislature, where accused or convicted officials included House Speaker, José Ronaldo Jarabo, Representatives José M. del Valle, Samuel Cepeda, José Varela, Fernando Tonos, Senate Vice-President Miguel Deynes Soto, and Senators Américo Martínez, Edgardo Rosario Burgos, Juan Rivera Ortiz, Mariano Ríos, Elsie Calderón de Hernández, and Joaquín Peña Peña, Several mayors were also charged with corruption cases, including the mayors of Santa Isabel, Juana Díaz, Canóvanas, Naranjito, Coamo, Sábana Grande, Barceloneta, Aibonito, Guánica, Quebradillas, and Lares.
On June, 1991 Hernández announced that he would not seek re-election. On January 11, Hernandez Colón resigned as President of the Popular Democratic Party, the post he held for 23 years. Then Senator Victoria Munoz Mendoza succeeded as President of the party and would later become gubernatorial candidate.
[edit] Retirement and legacy
Rafael Hernández Colon has published various works specializing in law. Among his works; "Procedimiento civil, Trayectoria historica de la Autonomia politica puertoriqueña" and "Nueva Tesis" (ISBN 8459967565) which talks about the Puerto Rican Commonwealth political relationship with the United States of America.
Hernández Colón has been granted honoris causa degrees from Johns Hopkins University, Seton Hall and the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, where he has served as a law professor in the university's Law School.
In 1985, Hernández Colón was awarded the Order of Duarte, Sánchez y Mella. In 1987 he was awarded the Cross of Isabel the Catholic by king Juan Carlos I and the government of Spain. That same year he was awarded the "Grand Cordón del Libertador" by the government of Venezuela, the Harvard Foundation Award, and the Spirit of the Caribbean Award. In 1989 he was awarded the Olympic Order Award.
On October 18, 1991 at the Campoamor de Oviendo Theater, Hernandez Colón, received the Principe de Asturias de las Letras award from Felipe de Borbón.
In early 2003, Lila Mayoral, his first wife, died after battling cancer. Currently, Hernández Colón maintains distance from public political engagement, but continues involved in Puerto Rico's political affairs assiting active politicians. He remarried attorney Nelsa López in late 2004.
| Preceded by Luis A. Ferré |
Governor of Puerto Rico 1973-1977 |
Succeeded by Carlos Romero Barceló |
| Preceded by Carlos Romero Barceló |
Governor of Puerto Rico 1985-1993 |
Succeeded by Pedro Rosselló González |
| Popular Democratic Party Gubernatorial Nominees | |
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| Muñoz Marín | Sánchez Vilella | Negrón López | Hernández Colón | Muñoz Mendoza | Acevedo | Calderón | Hernández Mayoral | Acevedo Vilá |
