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Carlos Romero-Barcelo
Puerto Rico

Gov. Carlos Romero-Barcelo

  • January 3, 1977 - January 3, 1985
  • New Progressive Party
  • September 4, 1932
  • Puerto Rico
  • Yale University, University of Puerto Rice School of Law
  • Four children

About

CARLOS ROMERO-BARCELO was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1932. He graduated from Yale University and the University of Puerto Rico School of Law. After establishing a career as a San Juan attorney, Romero-Barcelo entered politics in 1965. He was named president of a movement known as “Citizens for the 51st State.” That group merged with others in 1967 to form United Statehooders, which evolved into the pro-statehood New Progressive Party. Romero-Barcelo was named the party’s first candidate for mayor of San Juan in 1968 and won two four-year terms in that office. As mayor, Romero-Barcelo served on the board of directors of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and in 1974 became the first and Hispanic-American elected to the presidency of the National League of Cities. In 1976, Romero-Barcelo was elected governor and he was reelected in 1980. The governor served on the President’s Council on Education of Disadvantaged Children and chaired the Southern Governors’ Association in 1980-81. He also served as secretary of the Democratic Governors’ Conference. After his term as governor, Romero-Barcelo served in Congress, representing 3.7 million American citizens as the Resident Commissioner in the 106th U.S. Congress for the territory of Puerto Rico.

Source

Hispanic Americans in Congress

Recent Puerto Rico Governors