Rafael Hernández Colón facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rafael Hernández Colón
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| Governor of Puerto Rico | |
| In office January 2, 1985 – January 2, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Carlos Romero Barceló |
| Succeeded by | Pedro Rosselló |
| In office January 2, 1973 – January 2, 1977 |
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| Preceded by | Luis A. Ferré |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Romero Barceló |
| 6th President of the Puerto Rico Senate | |
| In office January 2, 1969 – January 2, 1973 |
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| Preceded by | Samuel R. Quiñones |
| Succeeded by | Juan Cancel Ríos |
| Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico | |
| In office January 2, 1965 – January 2, 1969 |
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| Governor | Roberto Sánchez Vilella |
| Preceded by | José Trías Monge |
| Succeeded by | Hector Reichard De Cardona |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 24, 1936 Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Died | May 2, 2019 (aged 82) San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Resting place | Cementerio Catolico San Vicente de Paul Ponce, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | Popular Democratic |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic |
| Spouses |
Lila Mayoral
(m. 1959; died 2003)Nelsa López
(m. 2004) |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Johns Hopkins University (BA) University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras (JD) |
Rafael Hernández Colón (born October 24, 1936 – died May 2, 2019) was an important Puerto Rican politician. He served as the governor of Puerto Rico for three terms. His first term was from 1973 to 1977, and his second and third terms were from 1985 to 1993.
He was the youngest person to become Governor of Puerto Rico. He won his first term when he was just 36 years old. Hernández Colón also ran for governor more times than anyone else, a total of five times. During his time as governor, he worked to make Puerto Rico's economy stronger. He also worked to keep the island's political status as a Commonwealth. He is the second longest-serving Governor of Puerto Rico, with 12 years in office.
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Early Life and Education
Rafael Hernández Colón was born on October 24, 1937, in Ponce, Puerto Rico. His parents were Rafael Hernández Matos and Doraldina “Dora” Colón Clavell. Rafael was the oldest of three children. He had two younger brothers, José A. and César A.
He went to Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Wayne, Pennsylvania. After that, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Johns Hopkins University in 1956. He graduated with honors. In 1959, he earned his law degree from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras. He graduated with very high honors and was the top student in his class. From 1961 to 1965, he taught law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce.
Political Journey
Hernández Colón joined the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico (PPD). He first worked as an Associate Commissioner of Public Service. This was during the time Roberto Sánchez Vilella was governor. In 1965, he became the Secretary of the Department of Justice.
Leading the Senate
In 1968, Hernández Colón was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico. His party kept control of the Senate, but they lost the governorship. As President of the Senate, he became the main leader of the Popular Democratic Party. He also led the opposition.
As a Senator, he suggested changing the constitution to lower the voting age to 18. This change passed in 1970. He also worked to stop bombing practices on the island of Culebra. He ran for Governor of Puerto Rico in 1972 and won. He beat the current governor by about 95,000 votes. He was the last PPD candidate to win with more than 50% of the votes.
First Term as Governor (1973-1977)
During his first term, Puerto Rico faced an economic slowdown. This was caused by the 1973 oil crisis. This crisis hit Puerto Rico hard because many businesses relied on oil. Hernández Colón put in place measures to save money and raised taxes. The economy started to get better by 1976.
In 1974, Time magazine recognized Rafael Hernández Colón as one of the world's young leaders. He also worked with others to create Section 936. This was a tax benefit for U.S. companies that set up businesses in Puerto Rico. This helped bring jobs and money to the island for many years.
Hernández Colón lost the election for Governor in 1976 to Carlos Romero Barceló. He lost again to Romero Barceló in 1980 by a very small number of votes.
Second and Third Terms (1985-1993)
Hernández Colón ran against Romero Barceló again in 1984 and won. He won re-election in 1988. During this time, Puerto Rico's economy grew a lot. The economy grew by 5% between 1987 and 1989. This was the highest growth since the 1950s. Unemployment also dropped a lot during his time in office.
In January 1992, Hernández Colón announced he would not run for re-election. On January 11, he stepped down as President of the Popular Democratic Party. He had held that position for 23 years.
Personal Life and Retirement
On October 24, 1959, Hernández Colón married Lila Mayoral Wirshing. She was the daughter of a businessman named Juan Eugenio Mayoral Renovales. Rafael Hernández Colón and Lila Mayoral had four children: Rafael, Jose Alfredo, Dora Mercedes, and Juan Eugenio. Their son Juan Eugenio later became a Senator in Puerto Rico. Lila Mayoral Wirshing passed away from cancer in 2003. Hernández Colón later married attorney Nelsa López in 2004. He lived in his hometown of Ponce.
After leaving office, Hernández Colón wrote several books about law. His books discussed Puerto Rico's political relationship with the United States. In his later years, he mostly stayed out of public politics. However, he still helped active politicians with advice. He sometimes appeared at official events.
Later Years and Passing
On December 6, 2018, Hernández Colón announced that he had been diagnosed with leukemia. Rafael Hernández Colón passed away on May 2, 2019, at the age of 82. He was buried at Cementerio Católico San Vicente de Paul in Ponce. After his death, flags in many towns were flown at half-mast to honor him.
Awards and Honors
Hernández Colón received special honorary degrees from Johns Hopkins University and Seton Hall University. He also had an honorary degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. He had taught law there earlier in his career.
He received many awards from different countries. In 1985, he was given the Order of Merit by the government of the Dominican Republic. In 1987, he received the Cross of Isabella the Catholic from King Juan Carlos I of Spain. That same year, he received awards from Venezuela, the Harvard Foundation, and the Spirit of the Caribbean Award. In 1989, he was given the Olympic Order Award.
On October 18, 1991, Hernández Colón received the Prince of Asturias Award for Literature. This award was given to the people of Puerto Rico by Felipe de Borbón in Spain.
See Also
