Baltasar Corrada del Río facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Baltazar Corrada del Río
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| Associate Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court | |
| In office July 15, 1995 – April 10, 2005 |
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| Appointed by | Pedro Rosselló |
| Preceded by | Rafael Alonso Alonso |
| Succeeded by | Rafael Martínez Torres |
| 15th Secretary of State of Puerto Rico | |
| In office January 2, 1993 – July 15, 1995 |
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| Governor | Pedro Rosselló |
| Preceded by | Salvador M. Padilla Escabi |
| Succeeded by | Norma Burgos |
| Mayor of San Juan | |
| In office January 2, 1985 – January 2, 1989 |
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| Preceded by | Hernán Padilla |
| Succeeded by | Héctor Luis Acevedo |
| Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico | |
| In office January 3, 1977 – January 2, 1985 |
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| Preceded by | Jaime Benítez Rexach |
| Succeeded by | Jaime Fuster |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 10, 1935 Morovis, Puerto Rico |
| Died | March 11, 2018 (aged 82) Fort Myers, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | New Progressive |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse | Beatriz Betance |
| Education | University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras (BA, LLB) |
Baltasar Corrada del Río (born April 10, 1935 – died March 11, 2018) was an important politician from Puerto Rico. He held many high-level jobs on the island. He was the Resident Commissioner from 1977 to 1985. This role is like a representative for Puerto Rico in the U.S. Congress.
He also served as the Mayor of San Juan, the capital city, from 1985 to 1989. Later, he became Puerto Rico's 15th Secretary of State from 1993 to 1995. His last major role was as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico from 1995 to 2005.
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Becoming a Lawyer and Politician
Corrada del Río finished high school in 1952. He then went to the University of Puerto Rico. There, he earned his bachelor's degree in Social Studies in 1956. He also got his law degree in 1959.
After finishing law school, he became a lawyer in Puerto Rico that same year. He worked as a private lawyer for several years, from 1969 to 1975.
Starting His Political Journey
In 1976, Corrada del Río decided to enter politics. He was elected as the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico. He served in this position from 1977 to 1985.
During his time as Resident Commissioner, he worked to support Puerto Rico becoming a U.S. state. He also helped create the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. This group helps Hispanic leaders and promotes education.
Serving as Mayor of San Juan
After his time as Resident Commissioner, Corrada del Río became the Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He won the election in 1984 and served from 1985 to 1989.
In 1988, he ran for Governor of Puerto Rico. However, he did not win this election.
Roles in the Governor's Cabinet
In 1993, Pedro Rosselló became the Governor of Puerto Rico. Governor Rosselló chose Corrada del Río to be Puerto Rico's 15th Secretary of State. He held this important job from 1993 to 1995.
Later, in 1995, Governor Rosselló appointed him to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico. He became an Associate Justice on July 15, 1995. The Senate of Puerto Rico approved his appointment unanimously.
Time on the Supreme Court
As a Justice, Corrada del Río was known for following the Constitution of Puerto Rico very closely. He believed in interpreting the laws strictly.
The Constitution of Puerto Rico says that Supreme Court Justices must retire at age 70. Corrada del Río reached this age in April 2005 and had to retire. He believed this rule was unfair because it forced people to retire based on age. He pointed out that when the rule was made in 1952, people didn't live as long. By 2013, people lived much longer than the retirement age.
Family Life
Baltasar Corrada del Río had a notable family. His brother, Álvaro Corrada del Rio, became a Roman Catholic Bishop in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. One of his sisters was a Roman Catholic nun. Another sister ran for mayor of San Juan in 1988.
He was married to Beatriz Betances. She served as the First Lady of San Juan when he was mayor. They had one daughter, Ana Isabel, and three sons: Juan Carlos, Jose, and Francisco. He also had several grandchildren. His wife passed away in 2013.
Later Life and Legacy
After retiring from the Supreme Court, Corrada del Río continued to be involved in legal work. He worked as an advisor for a large law firm in Puerto Rico. He also gave advice to the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico, where he had once been president.
Baltasar Corrada del Río passed away on March 11, 2018, in Fort Myers, Florida. He was 82 years old. His ashes were buried in his hometown of Morovis, Puerto Rico.
Honors and Awards
- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) honored Corrada del Río with a medal. This was for his work as one of the group's founding members.
- In 2010, the Puerto Rico Department of State named its summer internship program after him. It is called the Baltasar Corrada del Río State Department Internship Program.
- A book was published in 2010 called Baltasar Corrada Del Río-Sus opiniones 1995-2005. This book contains parts of 61 of his opinions from his time on the Supreme Court.
See also
In Spanish: Baltasar Corrada del Río para niños
