Rafael Hernandez-Colon

RAFEAL HERNANDEZ-COLON was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He served as governor of Puerto Rico (1973-1977, 1985-1993). An honors graduate of Johns Hopkins University (1956) and the University of Puerto Rico law school (1959), he practiced law in Ponce, and was elected to the senate in 1968. He served as president of the senate and as president of the Popular Democratic party. In 1972 he decisively defeated Governor Luis Ferré to become, at 36, the island's youngest governor. He sponsored ambitious programs of economic development and housing construction, and he strongly opposed U.S. President Ford's wish to make Puerto Rico the 51st state. He was reelected in 1984 and 1988, but was defeated by Pedro J. Rosselló of the New Progressive party in 1992.