Puerto Rico, officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and from 1898 to 1932 also called Porto Rico in English, is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeast Caribbean Sea, approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Miami, Florida.
The government of Puerto Rico is a republican form of government with separation of powers, subject to the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United States. Article I of the Constitution of Puerto Rico defines the government and its political power and authority pursuant to U.S. Pub.L. 82–447. Said law mandated the establishment of a local constitution due to Puerto Rico's political status as a commonwealth of the United States. Ultimately, the powers of the government of Puerto Rico are all delegated by Congress and lack full protection under the U.S. Constitution. Because of this, the head of state of Puerto Rico is the President of the United States.
The Senate of Puerto Rico is the upper house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the territorial legislature of Puerto Rico. The Senate, together with the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, control the legislative branch of the government of Puerto Rico.
The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the bicameral territorial legislature of Puerto Rico. The House, together with the Senate, control the legislative branch of the government of Puerto Rico.
The Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico is the territorial legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, responsible for the legislative branch of the government of Puerto Rico. The Assembly is a bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate normally composed by 27 senators, and the lower house, the House of Representatives normally composed by 51 representatives. Eleven members of each house are elected at-large rather than from a specific legislative district with all members being elected for a four-year term without term limits.
Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset is a Puerto Rican politician who served as Governor of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States of America, and as president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico (PNP) until 2013, served as president of the Council of State Governments during 2012 and served as president of the Southern Governors Association from 2011 to 2012. On 26 June 2011 he announced his plans to run for reelection. He was defeated in the 2012 elections by Alejandro Garcia Padilla.
Elections in Puerto Rico are guaranteed by Article VI of the Constitution of Puerto Rico and the Electoral Code of Puerto Rico for the 21st Century Act. All processes are overseen and managed in whole by the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission; an autonomous agency of the executive branch of the government of Puerto Rico.
Jose Fernando Aponte Hernández is an accountant and former Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico. He was born in San Juan and obtained a bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras in 1980.
The Puerto Rico general election of 2008 were held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 to elect the officials of the Puerto Rican government that would serve for the next four years, most notably the Governor of Puerto Rico.
Jenniffer Aydin González Colón is a Puerto Rican politician who currently serves as the 20th Resident commissioner of Puerto Rico. González has served in leadership positions in the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico (PNP) and in the Republican Party of the United States. These positions included being the chairwoman of the Puerto Rico Republican Party, Speaker and minority leader of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, and vice-chair of the PNP.
Antonio "Tony" J. Fas Alzamora is a Puerto Rican politician and Senator. He is currently the longest-serving legislator in the history of Puerto Rico, having served in ten Legislative Assemblies, one House of Representatives, and nine Senates.
Maria de Lourdes Ramos Rivera is a Puerto Rican politician who currently serves in the Puerto Rican House of Representatives, elected at-large from March 26, 1996 – January 2, 2001 and from January 2, 2005 to the present.
Carlos J. "Johnny" Méndez Núñez is a politician from Fajardo, Puerto Rico. He represents District 36 in the Puerto Rico House of Representatives and assumed the role of Majority Leader upon the resignation of Rolando Crespo as a member of the House in February, 2011.
The 17th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico is the current session of the Puerto Rican legislature that met from January 14, 2013 until January 1, 2017. All members of the House of Representatives and the Senate were elected in the General Elections of 2012. The House and the Senate both had a majority of members from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD).
The 25th Senate of Puerto Rico is the upper house of the 17th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico and will meet from January 2, 2013, to January 1, 2017. All members were elected in the General Elections of 2012. The Senate has a majority of members from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). The body is counterparted by the 29th House of Representatives of Puerto Rico in the lower house.
The 23rd Senate of Puerto Rico was the upper house of the 15th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico that met from January 2, 2005 to January 1, 2009. All members were elected in the General Elections of 2004. The Senate had a majority of members from the New Progressive Party (PNP).
Ángel Pérez Otero is a Puerto Rican politician, who is the mayor of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. He was a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives from 2005 to 2012.
Rafael "June" Rivera Ortega is a Puerto Rican politician affiliated with the New Progressive Party (PNP). He has been a member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives since 2005 representing District 28.
The 30th House of Representatives of Puerto Rico is the lower house of the 18th Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico and will meet from January 2, 2017 to January 1, 2021. All members were elected in the General Elections of 2016. The House has a majority of members from the New Progressive Party (PNP).
