Party leaders of the Senate of Puerto Rico

Last updated
Majority Leader of the
Senate of Puerto Rico
PPD Leader
since January 11, 2021
Style Senator
Minority Leader of the
Senate of Puerto Rico
PNP Leader
since January 11, 2021
Style Senator
Minority Leader of the
Senate of Puerto Rico
MVC Leader
since January 11, 2021
Style Senator
Minority Leader of the
Senate of Puerto Rico
PIP Leader
since January 11, 2021
Style Senator
Minority Leader of the
Senate of Puerto Rico
PD Leader
since January 11, 2021
Style Senator
Minority Leader of the
Senate of Puerto Rico
Independent Leader
since January 11, 2021
Style Senator

The Senate of Puerto Rico majority and minority leaders are Puerto Rican Senators who are elected by the party conferences that hold the majority and the minorities respectively. These leaders serve as the chief Senate spokespeople for their parties and manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate. By rule, the Presiding Officer gives the Majority Leader priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate. The Majority Leader customarily serves as the chief representative of his or her party in Senate.

Contents

Current floor leaders

The Senate is currently composed of 12 senators from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), 10 senators from the New Progressive Party (PNP), 2 senators from Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana (MVC), 1 senator from the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), 1 senator of Proyecto Dignidad (PD) and 1 independent senator.

The incumbent floor leaders are PPD Majority Leader Javier Aponte Dalmau, PNP Minority Leader Thomas Rivera Schatz.

List of party leaders

The "Majority" column indicates which party was the majority in the Senate, while the opposing column indicates the minority. The PIP is usually a minority.

SenateDatesPNP LeaderMajorityPPD LeaderPIP LeaderIndependentMVC LeaderPD Leader
1st 1949–1953PPD Maj →N/A
2nd 1953–1957 Miguel Angel García Méndez Gilberto Concepción de Gracia (at-large)
3rd 1957–1961 Miguel Angel García Méndez Luis Negrón López N/A
4th 1961–1965
5th 1965–1969 Luis Negrón López
6th 1969–1973 Justo A. Méndez Rodriguez (at-large) Hipólito Marcano (at-large)
7th 1973–1977 José Menéndez Monroig (at-large) Rubén Berríos (at-large)
8th 1977–1981 Nicolás Nogueras (at-large)← PNP Maj Miguel Hernández Agosto (at-large)N/A
9th 1981–1985PPD Maj → Gilberto Rivera Ortiz (Humacao)
10th 1985–1989 Roberto Rexach Benítez (at-large) Gilberto Rivera Ortiz (Humacao) Rubén Berríos (at-large)
11th 1989–1993 Gilberto Rivera Ortiz (Humacao) Fernando Martín García (at-large)
12th 1993–1997 Charlie Rodríguez (at-large)← PNP Maj Miguel Hernández Agosto (at-large) Rubén Berríos (at-large)
13th 1997–2001 José Enrique Meléndez (Guayama) Antonio Fas Alzamora (at-large)
14th 2001–2005 Kenneth McClintock (at-large)PPD Maj → José Luis Dalmau (Humacao) Fernando Martín (at-large)
15th 2005 Jorge de Castro Font (at-large)← PNP Maj José Luis Dalmau (Humacao)
2005–2009 Margarita Nolasco (Guayama) María de Lourdes Santiago (at-large)
16th 2009–2011 Roberto Arango (San Juan)N/A
2011-2013 Larry Seilhamer (Ponce)
17th 2013–2017 Larry Seilhamer (at-large)PPD Maj → Aníbal José Torres (at-large) María de Lourdes Santiago (at-large)
18th 2017–2021 Carmelo Ríos (Bayamón)← PNP Maj Eduardo Bhatia (at-large) Juan Dalmau (at-large) José Vargas Vidot (at-large)
19th 2021-present Thomas Rivera Schatz (at-large)PPD Maj → Javier Aponte Dalmau (Carolina) María de Lourdes Santiago (at-large) José Vargas Vidot (at-large) Ana Irma Rivera Lassén (at-large)Joanne Rodríguez Veve (at-large)
SenateDatesPNP LeaderMajorityPPD LeaderPIP LeaderIndependentMVC LeaderPD Leader

See also

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