The politics of Puerto Rico take place in the framework of a democratic republic form of government that is under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United States Congress as an organized unincorporated territory. Since the 1898 invasion of Puerto Rico by the United States during the Spanish–American War,politics in Puerto Rico have been significantly shaped by its status as territory of the United States. The nature of Puerto Rico's political relationship with the United States is the subject of ongoing debate in Puerto Rico,in the United States,the United Nations and the international community,with all major political parties in the archipelago calling it a colonial relationship.
Pedro Juan RossellóGonzález is a Puerto Rican physician and politician who served as the governor of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001. He was President of the New Progressive Party from 1991 to 1999 and 2003 to 2008,and served as Senator for the District of Arecibo from 2005 to 2008. His son,Ricardo,was also Governor of Puerto Rico from 2017 to 2019.
The New Progressive Party is a political party in Puerto Rico that advocates statehood. The PNP is one of the two major parties in Puerto Rico with significant political strength and currently holds both the seat of the governor and of the resident commissioner.
Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the governor of Puerto Rico,an unincorporated territory of the United States,from 2009 to 2013.
Thomas Rivera Schatz is a Puerto Rican politician,legal advisor,attorney,and former prosecutor,who was the fourteenth and sixteenth President of the Senate of Puerto Rico. He is affiliated with New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico and the mainland Republican Party. On July 22,2019,Rivera Schatz announced that he will take over as acting chair of the PNP following the resignation of Ricardo Rossellódue to the Telegramgate scandal.
Orlando Parga Figueroa is a Puerto Rican politician and former member of the Senate of Puerto Rico. He served as President pro tempore of the Senate from 2005 to 2009.
Jorge Adolfo de Castro-Font is a former Puerto Rican senator and former member of the House of Representatives. Originally,he was a member of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) but became an independent representative in 2001 after inner disputes with his party. In 2002,he became a member of the New Progressive Party (PNP) and was elected Senator in 2004 and 2008,despite inner struggles within the party and legal issues.
Norma E. Burgos Andújar is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the Lieutenant Governor and the 16th Secretary of State under Governor Pedro Rossellófrom 1995 to 1999. She also served as a member of the Senate of Puerto Rico from 2000 to 2012.
General elections were held in Puerto Rico on Tuesday,November 4,2008,to elect the officials of the 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 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. González is the youngest person to be Resident Commissioner and the first woman to hold the role.
Charles Anthony Rodríguez-Colón is a New York City-born Puerto Rican politician affiliated with the New Progressive Party (NPP). He served as the eleventh president of the Senate of Puerto Rico from 1997 until 2000.
Roberto Arango-Vinent is an American politician who served in the Senate of Puerto Rico from January 2005 until August 2011 representing the San Juan district for the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico (NPP),which is a conservative group derived from the Republican Statehood Party.
Carlos Alberto Díaz Sánchez is a Puerto Rican politician,and former member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives and Senate.
Lawrence N. "Larry" Seilhamer Rodríguez is a Puerto Rican politician who was the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. He is affiliated with the pro-statehood New Progressive Party (PNP),and was a member of the Senate of Puerto Rico from January 7,2009 until January 15,2020. Seilhamer is also a former basketball player for the Baloncesto Superior Nacional from 1972 to 1984. On December 2,2020,he was nominated as Puerto Rico Secretary of State by Governor-elect Pedro R. Pierluisi.
Luz Zenaida "Lucy" Arce Ferrer,is a Puerto Rican politician. She served as a member of the Senate of Puerto Rico from 1996 till 2013.
Angel "Chayanne" Martínez Santiago is a Puerto Rican politician and Senator. He has been a member of the Senate of Puerto Rico since 2008.
JoséEmilio González Velázquez is a Puerto Rican politician and Senator. He has been a member of the Senate of Puerto Rico since 2004.
The 2008 New Progressive Party primaries were the primary elections by which voters of the New Progressive Party (PNP) chose its nominees for various political offices of Puerto Rico,namely the position of governor,for the 2008 general elections. Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño was selected as the nominee at the primary elections held on March 9,2008. He would go on to win the 2008 general election as well.
JoséGarriga Picó is a Puerto Rican politician and former senator affiliated with the New Progressive Party (PNP). He served as a member of the Senate of Puerto Rico from 2005 to 2009. Since 1990,Garriga Picóhas been a professor of political science at the University of Puerto Rico,Río Piedras campus.
William Ely Villafañe Ramos is a member at-large of the Puerto Rico Senate. He is also the Chief of Staff of Puerto Rico from 2017 to 2018. Villafañe is a current candidate for Resident Commissioner in the 2024 New Progressive party primaries.
