This list of Governors of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Gobernador de Puerto Rico) includes all persons who have held that post, either under Spanish or American rule. The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The position was first established by the Spanish Empire during the 16th century following the archipelago's colonization.
The first person to officially occupy the position was Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León on 1509. At the time, the Spanish monarchy was responsible for appointing the functionary who would perform this office. The first native Puerto Rican to perform the function was Juan Ponce de León II, as interim governor in 1579. During this administration, all of those appointed to take the position had served another function within the empire's government or the Roman Catholic Church. In 1898, the United States invaded Puerto Rico and the Spanish government ceded control of the island to the United States. During the first two years, the entire government in Puerto Rico was appointed by the President of the United States. In 1900, the American government approved the establishment of the Foraker Act as a federal law, this act established a civilian government in the island. In 1947, the federal Elective Governor Act was enacted, which created a new system where, since 1948, the governor is elected through a democratic process every four years. The governor is in charge of Puerto Rico's executive branch and is responsible for appointing executive branch agency heads, including the Secretary of State, who fulfills the role of lieutenant governor, the legislative branch's Ombudsman and Comptroller and all judges in the judicial branch.
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When the Spanish Empire colonized Puerto Rico during the 16th century, the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León established himself as the island's first governor replacing Vicente Yáñez Pinzón, who was appointed to take the position of Captain General of the City of Puerto Rico prior to the island's colonization but never performed this function.[1] During this time period, the Spanish monarchy was in charge of appointing the governor of Puerto Rico, the person selected was in charge of the island's development and wealth and was responsible for reporting the colony's status to the Spanish Empire. After 1580 the Captaincy General of Puerto Rico was established, and the office of captain general was added to the governor.
On July 25, 1898, at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico was invaded by the United States when, following a brief armed conflict, the United States Army landed at Guánica. Following the conclusion of the war, Spain was forced to cede Puerto Rico, along with Cuba, the Philippines and Guam, to the United States under the 1898 Treaty of Paris.[2] Puerto Rico began the twentieth century under the military rule of the United States with officials, including the governor, who were appointed by the President of the United States. In 1900, William McKinley signed the Foraker Act as a United States federal law, this established civilian (limited popular) government on Puerto Rico.[3] The new government had a governor and an executive council appointed by the President, a House of Representatives with 35 elected members, a judicial system with a Supreme Court, and a non-voting Resident Commissioner in Congress.[3] The first civilian governor of the island under the Foraker Act was Charles Herbert Allen. This system was still used after the approval of the Jones-Shafroth Act, which altered the structure of government in Puerto Rico, and was in use until 1948.
Following the approval of the federal Elective Governor Act by President Harry S Truman in 1947, the governor has been elected through a democratic process every four years since 1948.[4] Under this system, the governor is in charge of the island's executive branch.[4] In these elections, every person must vote for one of several candidates, each one of which represents a political party (currently consisting of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican Independence Party, Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party) following the elective process the votes are counted and the candidate who gathers the plurality (not majority) of votes is certified as governor-elect and takes office on January 2 of the following year in a public inaugural ceremony which may be preceded by a private oath-taking ceremony.
In the governor's absence, or if the governor dies or is unable to perform the executive duties, the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico takes control of the executive position, as Acting Governor during a temporary absence or inability, and as Governor in case of death, resignation or impeachment and conviction.[4] The elected governor must designate a number of secretaries and other agency heads that will control the individual administrative agencies during his time in office, the selected secretaries are in charge of the island's health, natural resources, economy, correctional and judicial agencies and the department of consumer concerns, among others. The Governor's four-year term begins on January 2, the day after the New Year's Day holiday.
Picture | Name | Took office | Left office | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
Captain General Don Juan Ponce de León |
1509 | 1512 | [5] | |
Juan Cerón | 1511 | 1513 | [6] | |
Rodrigo Moscoso | 1513 | 1514 | [7] | |
Captain General Cristóbal de Mendoza | 1514 | 1515 | [8] | |
Captain General Don Juan Ponce de León |
1515 | 1519 | [7] | |
Sánchez Velázquez | 1519 | 1519 | [8] | |
Antonio de la Gama | 1519 | 1521 | [8] | |
Pedro Moreno | 1521 | 1523 | [8] | |
Bishop Alonso Manso | 1523 | 1524 | [8] | |
Pedro Moreno | 1524 | 1529 | [8] | |
Antonio de la Gama | 1529 | 1530 | [8] | |
Lieutenant General Francisco Manuel de Landó | 1530 | 1536 | [8] | |
Vasco de Tiedra | 1536 | 1537 | [8] | |
Vasco de Tiedra | 1537 | 1544 | [8] | |
Jerónimo Lebrón de Quiñones | 1544 | 1544 | [8] | |
Lcdo.Iñigo López Cervantes de Loaisa | 1544 | 1546 | [8] | |
Lcdo.Diego de Caraza | 1546 | 1548 | [8] | |
Diego de Caraza | 1548 | 1550 | [8] | |
Luis de Vallejo | 1550 | 1555 | [8] | |
Lcdo. Alonso Esteves | 1555 | 1555 | [8] | |
Lcdo. Diego de Caraza | 1555 | 1561 | [8] | |
Antonio de la Llama Vallejo | 1561 | 1564 | [8] | |
1564 | 1568 | [8] | ||
Francisco Solís | 1568 | 1574 | [8] | |
Francisco de Obando y Mexia | 1575 | 1579 | [8] | |
Juan Ponce de León II | 1579 | 1579 | [9] | |
Jerónimo de Agüero Campuzano | 1580 | 1580 | [8] | |
Captain General Juan de Céspedes | 1580 | 1581 | [8] | |
Captain General Juan López Melgarejo | 1581 | 1582 | [8] | |
Captain General Gen Diego Menéndez de Valdés | 1582 | 1593 | [8] | |
Colonel Pedro Suárez | 1593 | 1597 | [8] | |
Captain General Antonio de Mosquero | 1597 | 1598 | [8] | |
Captain General Alonso de Mercado | 1599 | 1602 | [8] | |
Captain General Sancho Ochoa de Castro | 1602 | 1608 | [8] | |
Gabriel de Rojas Párano | 1608 | 1614 | [8] | |
Captain General Felipe de Beaumont y Navarra | 1614 | 1620 | [8] | |
Juan de Vargas | 1620 | 1625 | [8] | |
Captain General Juan de Haro y Sanvitores | 1625 | 1630 | [8] | |
Captain General Enrique Enriquez de Sotomayor | 1631 | 1635 | [8] | |
Captain General Iñigo de la Mota Sarmiento | 1635 | 1641 | [8] | |
Captain General Agustín de Silva y Figueroa | 1641 | 1641 | [8] | |
Captain General Juan de Bolaños | 1642 | 1643 | [8] | |
Fernando de la Riva Agüero y Setien | 1643 | 1648 | [8] | |
Diego de Aguilera y Gamboa | 1649 | 1655 | [8] | |
José Novoa y Moscoso Pérez y Buitron | 1655 | 1660 | [8] | |
Captain General Juan Pérez de Guzmán y Chagoyen | 1660 | 1664 | [8] | |
Jerónimo de Velasco | 1664 | 1670 | [8] | |
Gaspar de Arteaga y Aunoavidao | 1670 | 1674 | [10] | |
Diego Roblandillo | 1674 | 1674 | [10] | |
Captain General Baltazar Figueroa y Castilla | 1674 | 1674 | [10] | |
Alonso de Campos y Espinosa | 1675 | 1678 | [10] | |
Juan de Robles Lorenzana | 1678 | 1683 | [10] | |
Captain General Gaspar Martínez de Andino | 1683 | 1685 | [10] | |
Juan Francisco Medina | 1685 | 1690 | [10] | |
Gaspar de Arredondo y Valle | 1690 | 1695 | [10] | |
Juan Francisco Medina | 1695 | 1697 | [10] | |
Tomás Franco | 1697 | 1698 | [10] | |
Antonio de Robles Silva | 1698 | 1699 | [10] | |
Gabriel Suárez de Ribera | 1700 | 1703 | [10] | |
Diego Jiménez de Villarán | 1703 | 1703 | [10] | |
Francisco Sánchez Calderón | 1703 | 1703 | [10] | |
Pedro Arroyo y Guerrero | 1704 | 1705 | [10] | |
Juan Francisco Morla | 1706 | 1706 | [10] | |
Francisco Granados | 1706 | 1708 | [10] | |
Colonel Juan de Ribera | 1709 | 1715 | [10] | |
José Francisco Carreño | 1716 | 1716 | [10] | |
Alfonso Bortodano | 1716 | 1720 | [10] | |
Francisco Danio Granados | 1720 | 1724 | [10] | |
Captain General José Antonio de Mendizabal y Azcue | 1724 | 1730 | [10] | |
Lieutenant Colonel Matías de Abadía | 1731 | 1743 | [10] | |
Domingo Pérez de Mandares | 1743 | 1744 | [10] | |
Colonel Juan José Colomo | 1744 | 1750 | [10] | |
Colonel Agustín de Parejas | 1750 | 1751 | [10] | |
Lieutenant Colonel Esteban Bravo de Rivero | 1751 | 1753 | [10] | |
Captain General Felipe Ramírez de Estenos | 1753 | 1757 | [10] | |
Esteban Bravo de Rivero | 1757 | 1759 | [10] | |
Mateo de Guaso Calderón | 1759 | 1760 | [10] | |
Esteban Bravo de Rivero | 1760 | 1761 | [10] | |
Lieutenant Colonel Ambrosio de Benavides | 1761 | 1766 | [10] | |
Colonel Marcos de Vergara | 1766 | 1766 | [10] | |
Lieutenant Colonel José Trentor | 1766 | 1770 | [10] | |
Colonel Miguel de Musesas | 1770 | 1776 | [10] | |
Colonel José Dufresne | 1776 | 1783 | [10] | |
Field Marshal Don Juan Andrés Daban y Busterino | 1783 | 1789 | [10] | |
Coronel Francisco Torralbo y Robles | 1789 | 1789 | [10] | |
Brigadier General Miguel Antonio de Ustariz | 1789 | 1792 | [7] | |
Coronel Francisco Torralbo y Robles | 1792 | 1794 | [10] | |
Brigadier General Enrique Grimarest | 1794 | 1795 | [7] | |
Field Marshal Don Ramón de Castro y Gutiérrez | 1795 | 1804 | [10] | |
Toribio Montes | 1804 | 1809 | [10] | |
Salvador Meléndez Bruna | 1809 | 1820 | [10] | |
Brigadier General Juan Vasco y Pascual | 1820 | 1820 | [10] | |
Gonzalo Arostegui y Herrera | 1820 | 1822 | [10] | |
José Navarro | 1822 | 1822 | [10] | |
Francisco González Linares | 1822 | 1822 | [10] | |
Lieutenant General Miguel Luciano de La Torre y Pando | 1822 | 1837 | [10] | |
Francisco Javier de Moreda y Prieto | 1837 | 1838 | [10] | |
Field Marshal Miguel López de Baños | 1838 | 1841 | [10] | |
Lieutenant General Santiago Méndez de Vigo | 1841 | 1844 | [10] | |
Lieutenant General Rafael de Aristegui y Vélez | 1844 | 1847 | [10] | |
Field Marshal Don Juan Prim de Prats y Gonzalez | 1847 | 1848 | [11] | |
Lieutenant General Juan de la Pezuela y Cevallos | 1848 | 1851 | [7] | |
Enrique de España y Taberner | 1851 | 1852 | [7] | |
Lieutenant General Fernándo Norzagaray y Escudero | 1852 | 1855 | [7] | |
Lieutenant General Andrés García Gamba | 1855 | 1855 | [7] | |
Lieutenant General José Lemery Ibrarrola Ney y Gonzalez | 1855 | 1857 | [7] | |
Lieutenant General Fernando Cotoner y Chacon | 1857 | 1860 | [7] | |
Sabino Gamir Maladen | 1860 | 1860 | [7] | |
Lieutenant General Rafael Echague y Bermingham | 1860 | 1862 | [7] | |
Brigadier General Rafael Izquierdo y Gutierrez | 1862 | 1863 | [7] | |
Lieutenant General Féliz María de Messina Iglesias | 1863 | 1865 | [7] | |
Lieutenant General José María Marchessi y Oleaga | 1865 | 1867 | [7] | |
General Julián Juan Pavia Lacy | 1867 | 1868 | [7] | |
General José Laureano Sanz y Posse | 1868 | 1870 | [7] | |
Lieutenant General Gabriel Baldrich | 1870 | 1871 | [7] | |
General Ramón Gómez Pulido | 1871 | 1872 | [7] | |
General Simón de la Torre Ormaza | 1872 | 1872 | [7] | |
Brigadier General Joaquín Eurile Hernan | 1872 | 1873 | [7] | |
Lieutenant General Juan Martínez Plowes | 1873 | 1873 | [7] | |
General Rafael Primo de Rivera y Sobremonte | 1873 | 1874 | [7] | |
General José Laureano Sanz y Posse | 1875 | 1875 | [7] | |
General Segundo de la Portilla Gutierrez | 1875 | 1877 | [7] | |
General Manuel de la Serna Hernandez y Pinzón | 1877 | 1878 | [7] | |
General José Gamir Maladen | 1878 | 1878 | [7] | |
General Eulogio Despujols y Dussay | 1878 | 1881 | [7] | |
General Segundo de la Portilla Gutierrez | 1881 | 1883 | [7] | |
General Miguel de la Vega Inclán y Palma | 1883 | 1884 | [7] | |
General Don Carlos Suances Campos | 1884 | 1884 | [7] | |
General Ramón Fajardo Izquierdo | 1884 | 1884 | [7] | |
General Luis Daban y Ramírez de Arellanó | 1884 | 1887 | [7] | |
General Romualdo Palacios Gonzalez | 1887 | 1887 | [7] | |
General Juan Contreras Martinez | 1887 | 1888 | [7] | |
General Pedro Ruiz Dana | 1888 | 1890 | [7] | |
Brigadier General José Pascual Bonanza | 1890 | 1890 | [7] | |
General José Lasso y Pérez | 1890 | 1893 | [7] | |
General Luis Daban y Ramírez de Arrellanó | 1893 | 1895 | [7] | |
General José Gamir | 1895 | 1896 | [7] | |
General Emilio March | 1896 | 1896 | [7] | |
General Sabas Marín González | 1896 | 1898 | [12] | |
General Ricardo de Ortega y Diez | 1898 | 1898 | [13] | |
General Andrés González Muñoz | 1898 | 1898 | [14] | |
General Ricardo de Ortega y Diez | 1898 | 1898 | [13] | |
General Manuel Macías Casado | 1898 | 1898 | [15] | |
General Ricardo de Ortega y Diez | 1898 | 1898 | [13] |
Picture | Name | Took office | Left office | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|
Commanding General Nelson A. Miles | 1898 | 1898 | [16] | |
Major General John R. Brooke | 1898 | 1898 | [17] | |
Major General Guy Vernon Henry | 1898 | 1899 | [18] | |
Major General George Whitefield Davis | 1899 | 1900 | [7] |
Picture | Name | Took office | Left office | Notes | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Charles Herbert Allen | 1900 | 1901 | First U.S. civil governor appointed by President William McKinley | [19] | |
William Henry Hunt | 1901 | 1904 | [20] | ||
Beekman Winthrop | 1904 | 1907 | [8] | ||
Regis Henri Post | 1907 | 1909 | [8] | ||
Colonel George Radcliffe Colton | 1909 | 1913 | [8] | ||
Arthur Yager | 1913 | 1921 | [21] | ||
José E. Benedicto | 1921 | 1921 | Interim governor | [8] | |
Emmet Montgomery Reily | 1921 | 1923 | [22] | ||
Juan Bernardo Huyke | 1923 | 1923 | Interim Governor | [8] | |
Horace Mann Towner | 1923 | 1929 | [23] | ||
James R. Beverley | 1929 | 1929 | [8] | ||
Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. | 1929 | 1932 | [24] | ||
James R. Beverley 2nd Term | 1932 | 1933 | [8] | ||
Robert Hayes Gore | 1933 | 1934 | [25] | ||
Benjamin Jason Horton | 1934 | 1934 | [8] | ||
General Blanton C. Winship | 1934 | 1939 | Summarily removed by President Roosevelt on May 12, 1939.[26][27] | [28] | |
José E. Colón | 1939 | 1939 | Interim governor | [7] | |
Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy | 1939 | 1940 | [29] | ||
José Miguel Gallardo | 1940 | 1941 | Interim governor | [7] | |
Commander Guy J. Swope | 1941 | 1941 | [30] | ||
José Miguel Gallardo | 1941 | 1941 | Interim governor | [7] | |
Rexford Guy Tugwell | 1941 | 1946 | [31] | ||
Jesús Toribio Piñero | 1946 | 1949 | First and only native Puerto Rican governor appointed under U.S colonial administration | [32] |
New Progressive Party Popular Democratic Party
Picture | Name | Took office | Left office | Party | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Luis Muñoz Marín | 1949 | 1965 | Popular Democratic Party | [33] | |
Roberto Sánchez Vilella | 1965 | 1969 | Popular Democratic Party | [34] | |
Luis A. Ferré | 1969 | 1973 | New Progressive Party | [35] | |
Rafael Hernández Colón | 1973 | 1977 | Popular Democratic Party | [36] | |
Carlos Romero Barceló | 1977 | 1985 | New Progressive Party | [37] | |
Rafael Hernández Colón | 1985 | 1993 | Popular Democratic Party | [36] | |
Pedro Rosselló González | 1993 | 2001 | New Progressive Party | [38] | |
Sila M. Calderón | 2001 | 2005 | Popular Democratic Party | [39] | |
Aníbal Acevedo Vilá | 2005 | 2009 | Popular Democratic Party | [40] | |
Luis Fortuño | 2009 | Incumbent | New Progressive Party |
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