Pablo Hernández Rivera

In this Hispanic American name, the first or paternal surname is Hernández and the second or maternal family name is Rivera.

Pablo Hernández
Official portrait, 2024
21st Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2025
Preceded byJenniffer González Colón
Chair of the Puerto Rico Popular Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 2, 2025
Preceded byJesús Manuel Ortiz
Personal details
BornPablo José Hernández Rivera
(1991-05-11) May 11, 1991
San Juan, Puerto Rico
PartyPopular Democratic
Other political
affiliations		Democratic
RelativesRafael Hernández Colón
(grandfather)
Lila Mayoral Wirshing
(grandmother)
Juan Eugenio Hernández
Mayoral (uncle)
Education
WebsiteHouse website
Campaign website

Pablo José Hernández Rivera[1] (born May 11, 1991) is a Puerto Rican politician who is the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico.[2]

Early life and education

Pablo José Hernández Rivera is the grandson of the former governor Rafael Hernández Colón and his wife Lila Mayoral Wirshing. He graduated from Academia del Perpetuo Socorro, earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard College, and obtained a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School.[3]

Career

Hernández Rivera was formerly assistant secretary of federal and international affairs for the Popular Democratic Party (PPD).[4] On the federal level, Hernández Rivera caucuses with the Democratic Party.[5][6]

In November 2024, in an opinion piece in The Hill, he announced that for the first time since 2000, Puerto Rican voters had chosen an opponent of Puerto Rican statehood as their delegate to the United States House of Representatives.[7]

In January 2025, Hernández Rivera announced his candidacy for the presidency of the PPD following the resignation of Jesús Manuel Ortiz.[8]

On February 2, 2025, he took office as president of the party, and announced his intention to refound the group, defining it as "realistic, autonomist, and centrist".[9]

He has advocated for redefining the country's status as a "commonwealth" for greater self-governance, federal parity, and a more clear division of powers with the U.S. He agrees with his grandfather, former governor Rafael Hernández Colón, in viewing Puerto Rico as both a homeland and a nation and also rejecting its classification as a colony.[10]

In the wake of Jenniffer González Colón's election to the office of governor, Hernández Rivera said, "Having a Republican governor seriously reduces the possibility that President Trump will attack Puerto Rico."[11]

In May 2025, Hernández Rivera accused pro-statehood Puerto Rican government officials of failing to liaise with him, despite his position as resident commissioner, effectively Puerto Rico's sole federal-level representative.[12]

In June 2025, Hernández Rivera participated in the New York Puerto Rican Day Parade, making him the first resident commissioner to attend since Aníbal Acevedo Vilá.[13]

In July 2025, Pablo Hernández Rivera stated that statehood for Puerto Rico was impossible, and that the solution for the territory was to seek greater autonomy to enter into trade and tax agreements with other countries and to maximize the resources. Greater autonomy will provide Puerto Rico more opportunities to invest in economic development.[14]

Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Electoral history

2024 United States House of Representatives election in Puerto Rico[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Popular Democratic Pablo Hernández Rivera 530,540 43.50% +11.37%
New Progressive William Villafañe 452,615 37.11% −4.03%
Citizens' Victory Ana Irma Rivera Lassén 115,710 9.49% −3.16%
Project Dignity Viviana Ramírez Morales 60,512 4.96% −2.73%
Independence Roberto Karlo Velázquez[a] 60,161 4.93% −1.37%
Total votes 1,219,538 100.00%
Popular Democratic gain from New Progressive
Democratic gain from Republican

Notes

  1. ^ Paper candidate

References

  1. ^ McCumber, Kevin A. (Acting Clerk) (October 18, 2024). Nominees for the Offices of US Senator and US Representative in the 119th Congress from Official Sources for the Election of November 5, 2024 (PDF). United States House of Representatives. p. 31. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  2. ^ "Pablo José Hernández asegura que "vamos todos a Washington"". Primera Hora (in Spanish). November 6, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "PR-AL: Pablo José Hernández Rivera (D)". The Well News. November 6, 2024.
  4. ^ "Pablo José Hernández se proclama ganador de la comisaría residente". Metro Puerto Rico (in Spanish). November 5, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  5. ^ Santiago, Manuel (August 19, 2024). "Pablo Hernández inició su agenda en la Convención del Partido Demócrata en Chicago". IslaNewsPR. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  6. ^ "EEUU-Inicia Hernández Rivera su agenda en la convención del Partido Demócrata". Inter News Service – Agencia de Noticias (in Spanish). August 18, 2024. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  7. ^ "Pablo José Hernández reclama en publicación estadounidense dejar a un lado el debate sobre la estadidad". El Nuevo Dia. November 26, 2024.
  8. ^ "José Hernández Rivera coloca su nombre en el sombrero para presidir el PPD". Noticel.com. January 20, 2025.
  9. ^ "Este es un partido realista autonomista y de centro pablo jose hernandez rivera asume la presidencia del ppd". elnuevodia.com. February 2, 2025.
  10. ^ "Resident Commissioner Looks to Rebuild "Commonwealth" Concept". PUERTO RICO REPORT. February 7, 2025. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  11. ^ "Trump, Bad Bunny and Puerto Rico's Perennially Broken Power Grid". politico.com. March 30, 2025. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  12. ^ "Pablo José Hernández dice que los funcionarios del gobierno de Jenniffer González ni siquiera visitan su oficina". elnuevodia.com (in Spanish). May 6, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  13. ^ "Pablo José Hernández will be the first resident commissioner in two decades to go to New York's Puerto Rican Parade". elnuevodia.com (in Spanish). June 6, 2025. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  14. ^ "Pablo José Hernández: "La estadidad para Puerto Rico es imposible"". elvocero.com (in Spanish). July 26, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  15. ^ "Members | Congressional Hispanic Caucus". chc.house.gov. April 21, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
  16. ^ https://bsky.app/profile/newdems.bsky.social/post/3lsgvhxj43s25
  17. ^ "CEE Event (COMISIONADO RESIDENTE)". elecciones2024.ceepur.org (in Spanish). Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico. November 9, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2025.

See also

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