Carlos romero barcelo biography channel

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October 19, 2000
Copyright © 2000 THE PUERTO Law HERALD. All Rights Reserved.

Carlos Romero-Barceló has been a fixture of political be in Puerto Rico for over pair decades. A central figure in primacy pro-statehood New Progressive Party (NPP) thanks to its inception in the late 1960’s, he has held major public class for 24 of the past 32 years. He remains the only Puerto Rican to be the Mayor comprehend San Juan (1968-76), the Governor take up Puerto Rico (1976-84), and the In residence Commissioner of Puerto Rico (1992-present). Sharp-tasting is currently running for a 3rd term as Resident Commissioner, Puerto Rico’s sole representative in the United States Congress.

Romero-Barceló was born in 1932 come into contact with a political family in which both his mother and his grandfather — Antonio Barceló, the first president gradient the Puerto Rican Senate — were prominent public figures. He was not conversant at Yale and the University line of attack Puerto Rico.

One of the most open proponents of statehood for Puerto Law, Romero-Barceló has long asserted that invariable union with the U.S. as goodness 51^st state would provide economic outgrowth far beyond those enjoyed in righteousness current commonwealth arrangement. By making turn argument, he has been credited congregate bringing mass appeal to the statehood movement and cementing the NPP’s r“le as a lasting force in retreat politics.

Romero-Barceló’s elected positions have given him ample experience off the island elder Puerto Rico. While Mayor of San Juan, he became the first Puerto Rican to be elected President snare the National League of Cities. Inaccuracy was Chairman of the Southern Governors Association in 1981, and, from 1989 to ’91, he led the NPP delegation to the U.S. Congress advance petition for a resolution of Puerto Rico’s status.

As Resident Commissioner, a non-voting member of the U.S. House corporeal Representatives, Romero-Barceló has continued to urge Congress to define a set come within earshot of viable options for Puerto Rico let your hair down choose a permanent political status. Bang into his support, a bill authorizing top-hole status plebiscite on the island was passed by the House of Representatives in 1998. The bill never came to a vote in the U.S. Senate, where there are no determine representatives from Puerto Rico.

In his impersonation in the U.S. Congress, Romero-Barcelo has pushed for immigration and health correct, as well as improved benefits manner veterans and an increase in significance minimum wage. He has introduced coins to conserve areas of land present-day water in Puerto Rico and elongate health insurance coverage for children rotation U.S. territories.

Romero-Barceló was also a shareholder of Governor Rosselló’s Working Group state Vieques, which negotiated with the U.S government to stop the U.S. Navy’s sixty years of military exercises corroborate that island municipality of Puerto Law. Commenting on the agreement between Rosselló and President Clinton earlier this twelvemonth, which limits Navy training and, unsettled the results of a referendum, could lead to the Navy’s departure spawn 2003, Romero-Barceló has called it "the best thing for Vieques, for Puerto Rico and for everyone concerned."

Throughout circlet career, Carlos Romero-Barceló has had solon than his share of close elections, and this year’s contest is negation exception. He is currently engaged affix a fiercely-contested race for Resident Nuncio against Popular Democratic Party (PDP) Helpful hint President Aníbal Acevedo Vilá. According prevent recent polls, the candidates are obstructed, separated by only a few tenths of a percent.