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| Order: | 5th Democratically Elected Governor | ||
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| Term of Office: | January 2, 1977– January 2, 1985 | ||
| Predecessor: | Rafael Hernández Colón | ||
| Successor: | Rafael Hernández Colón | ||
| Date of Birth: | Sunday, September 4, 1932 | ||
| Place of Birth: | San Juan, Puerto Rico | ||
| First Lady: | Kate Donnally | ||
| Profession: | Lawyer | ||
| Political Party: | New Progressive Party | ||
| Resident Commissioner: | Baltasar Corrada del Río (1977-1985) | ||
Carlos Antonio Romero Barceló (born September 4, 1932) was Puerto Rico's fifth democratically elected Governor, the second governor to be elected from the New Progressive Party (PNP) and also Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001.
Romero Barceló is the grandson of Antonio R. Barceló, a former Union Party leader and advocate of Puerto Rican self-determination during the early 20th century.
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Education
Carlos Romero Barceló attended Philips Exeter Academy in the state of New Hampshire, graduating in 1949. Later he attended Yale University, obtaining a B.A. in Political Science and Economics in 1953. That same year, at age 20, he returned to Puerto Rico and enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico Law School, becoming a licensed lawyer in 1956. In 1977, he received a doctorate Honoris Causa from the University of Bridgeport in Conneticut.
Political career
Romero Barceló, an avid supporter of Puerto Rico statehood with the United States of America, became involved in with the "Partido Estadista Republicano", the forerunner of the New Progressive Party. He formed part of "Ciudadanos pro Estado 51" (Citizens for the 51st State) in 1965. Later, he became involved with the politcal group "Estadistas Unidos", founded by Luis Ferre.
Barceló was one of the founding members of the New Progressive Party in 1967. The following year he was elected Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1973, he became the first hispanic to become vice-president of the National League of Cities and in 1974 became president. He served as mayor until 1976 when he defeated incumbent Governor Rafael Hernández Colón.
Governor
Romero Barceló brought well-received economic resolutions to the island during his terms in office, emphasizing the island's tourism potential. In 1980 he was elected for a second term as governor by a margin of 3,037 votes over again PPD-candidate Rafael Hernández Colón. The 1980 gubernatorial elections where among the closest in Puerto Rican history, requiring the intervention of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico to rule whether improperly cast ballots should be counted. The "New Progressive Party" lost control of the legislature, and party-affiliated mayors won in 28 of the 78 municipalities on the island.
He sought re-election for a third term in 1984 but was defeated by Rafael Hernández Colón. After the elections, Barceló's reaction to the defeat, in response to TV news reporter Rafael Bracero, was Que Derrota? (What defeat?). For him, he said, what had occurred was not a defeat, but simply an "electoral loss". The comment has become legendary in Puerto Rican politics.
In 1986, he was elected by his party to fill in a vacancy in the Senate of Puerto Rico.
Resident Commissioner
In the 1992 elections, he was elected Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, and relocated to Washington D.C., and was re-elected in 1996. During his tenure as Resident Commissioner, he campaigned for Puerto Rican statehood and endorsed the Young Project, which sought to call a referendum to resolve Puerto Rico's political status. In 2000, he was defeated by PPD's Aníbal Acevedo Vilá. He once again sought his party's nomination for the post of Resident Commissioner in 2003, but was defeated by Luis Fortuño. Although he has retired from electoral politics, he has remained active in PNP political gatherings and is a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).
Maravilla Hill controversy
Main article: Maravilla Hill case.
On July 25, 1978, two Puerto Rican independence activists died by police gunfire at the Maravilla Hill (Cerro Maravilla). Police knew, through an undercover police informant accompanying them, that the two would be attempting sabotage of communication facilities. During a public ceremony, Romero Barceló lauded the police action as heroic. It was later uncovered that the two young men were apprehended after a brief shootout, and summarily executed on site. Some accused the then-Governor of complicity in the affair; others believe he obstructed justice and did not pursue the guilty parties.
Romero Barceló was never indicted for any malfeasance regarding the cases; however, legislative investigations and hearings held during the early 1980s adversely affected his image. This is believed to have contributed to his failed re-election bid during the 1984 elections.
Legacy
Romero Barceló is married to Kate Donnelly. His daughter, Melinda Romero Donelly, is a PNP member of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico. He is a boxing fan, and advocated for holding world championship bouts in San Juan during his terms in office.
Publications
- "Puerto Rico, U.S.A.: The Case for Statehood." Foreign Affairs 59 (Fall 1980): pp. 58-81.
- Statehood Is For the Poor. N.P.: Master Typesetting of P.R. Inc., 1978. Originally published as La Estatidad es para los Pobres, 1973.
See also
External links
- Hispanic Americans in Congress: Carlos Romero-Barceló (http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/congress/romerobarcelo.html)
- The National League of Cities (http://www.nlc.org)
- League of United Latin American Citizens (http://www.lulac.org)
| Preceded by: Rafael Hernández Colón | Governor of Puerto Rico 1977–1985 | Succeeded by: Rafael Hernández Colón |
| Preceded by: Antonio Colorado | Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico 1993–2001 | Succeeded by: Aníbal Acevedo Vilá es:Carlos Romero Barceló |