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On June 8, 1950, the United States government approved Public Law 600, authorizing Puerto Rico to draft its own constitution in 1951. The Constitutional Assembly (Spanish: Asamblea Constituyente) or Constitutional Convention of Puerto Rico met for a period of several months between 1951 and 1952 in which the document was written. The framers had to follow only two basic requirements established under Public Law 600. The first was the document must establish a republican form of government for the island. The second was the inclusion of a Bill of Rights.

The Constitution of Puerto Rico renamed the body politic until then known as the "People of Puerto Rico", and henceforth known as the "Commonwealth of Puerto Rico" (Estado Libre Asociado).

Members of the Constitutional Assembly

#[a][1] Delegate   Party Constituency Residence[2] Committee assignments[b][3] Cmtes. Signing order[4][5] Notes[c]
73 Manuel Acevedo Rosario PPD Aguadilla Camuy Transitory Provisions and General Affairs 1 32
79 Juan Alemañy Silva PEP Guayama Guayama Drafting, Style and Enrolling 1 33[d]
29 Arcilio Alvarado Alvarado PPD San Juan I San Juan (Santurce) Bill of Rights

Judicial Branch

Drafting, Style and Enrolling[e][f]

3 34
92 Enrique Álvarez Vicente PSO Arecibo Utuado Accounting and Publications 1 35
42 Francisco L. Anselmi Rodríguez PPD Ponce Coamo Legislative Branch[e]

Transitory Provisions and General Affairs

2 26
37 Francisco A. Arrillaga Gaztambide PPD San Juan I San Juan (Hato Rey) Accounting and Publications 1 36
74 Carmelo Ávila Medina PPD Humacao Naguabo Transitory Provisions and General Affairs 1 37
77 José Bartolo Barceló Oliver PPD Ponce Adjuntas Transitory Provisions and General Affairs 1 38
39 Ramón Barreto Pérez PPD San Juan I San Juan (Hato Rey) Legislative Branch 1 39
32 Ramón Barrios Sánchez PSO At-large Bayamón Rules and Bylaws

Scheduling

1 40
28 Jaime Benítez Rexach PPD At-large San Juan (Río Piedras) Bill of Rights[g]

Drafting, Style and Enrolling

2 10
55 Francisco Berio Suárez PPD Guayama Comerío Scheduling 1 41
59 Virgilio Brunet Maldonado PPD At-large San Juan (Hato Rey) Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures

Bill of Rights

2 42
53 Agustín Burgos Rivera PPD Ponce Villalba Accounting and Publications 1 43
41 Mario Canales Torresola PPD Ponce Jayuya Legislative Branch 1 44 Former-mayor of Jayuya
61 Ángel M. Candelario Arce PPD Mayagüez Peñuelas Judicial Branch 1 45
01 Ernesto Carrasquillo Quiñones PPD Humacao Yabucoa Bill of Rights[h] 1 19 Former-mayor of Yabucao
17 Dionisio Casillas Casillas PPD Humacao Humacao Accounting and Publications 1 46
68 José A. Cintrón Rivera PPD At-large San Juan (Santurce) Bill of Rights 1 47
25 Luis Alfredo Colón Velázquez PPD Aguadilla Moca Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures

Rules and Bylaws[e]

Executive Branch[i]

3 30
89 Ramiro L. Colón Castaño PEP Ponce Ponce Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures 1 —[j] Only delegate not to sign the Constitution.[k] Then-general manager of the Cooperative of Coffee Growers of Puerto Rico.[7]
04 Juan Dávila Díaz PPD Arecibo Manatí Accounting and Publications[e] 1 31
51 José M. Dávila Monsanto PPD Guayama Guayama Judicial Branch[e] 1 25
58 Lionel Fernández Méndez PPD Guayama Cayey Rules and Bylaws

Drafting, Style and Enrolling

2 48
—[l] Antonio Fernós Isern PPD At-large San Juan (Santurce) — 0 01 Then-Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
30 Luis A. Ferré Aguayo PEP Ponce Ponce Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures

Transitory Provisions and General Affairs

2 49[d]
75 Alcides Figueroa Oliva PPD Aguadilla Añasco Transitory Provisions and General Affairs 1 50
13 Leopoldo Figueroa Carreras PEP At-large Cataño Scheduling

Bill of Rights

2 51
18 Ernesto Juan Fonfrías Rivera PPD San Juan II Toa Baja (Carr. 2 K-19) Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures

Judicial Branch

2 52
23 Jorge Font Saldaña PPD At-large San Juan (Santurce) Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures[e]

Drafting, Style and Enrolling[f]

2 24
78 Juan R. García Delgado PEP Aguadilla Hatillo Rules and Bylaws

Accounting and Publications[m]

2 53
12 Miguel Ángel García Méndez PEP Mayagüez Mayagüez Scheduling

Judicial Branch

2 54
34 Genaro Antonio Gautier Dapena PPD San Juan I Caguas (La Muda) Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures 1 55 Then-first spouse of San Juan
38 Rubén Gaztambide Arrillaga PPD San Juan I San Juan (Río Piedras) Bill of Rights

Legislative Branch[h]

2 18
90 Fernando José Géigel Sabat PEP San Juan I San Juan (Santurce) Legislative Branch 1 56
62 José Rosario Gelpí Bosch PEP Mayagüez Mayagüez Rules and Bylaws

Executive Branch

2 57
35 Darío Goitía Montalvo PPD Arecibo Arecibo Executive Branch 1 58
10 María Libertad Gómez Garriga PPD At-large Utuado Drafting, Style and Enrolling[h] 1 02 Only female member.
46 Héctor González Blanes PEP San Juan I San Juan (Santurce) Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures

Bill of Rights

2 59
02 Andrés Grillasca Salas PPD Ponce Ponce Transitory Provisions and General Affairs 1 60 Then-mayor of Ponce
26 Víctor Gutiérrez Franqui PPD At-large San Juan (Santurce) Judicial Branch

Drafting, Style and Enrolling[g]

2 03
14 Celestino Iriarte Miró PEP At-large Cataño (Carr. Cataño) Accounting and Publications[m]

Legislative Branch

Judicial Branch

3 05
69 Jesús Izcoa Moure PPD San Juan II Naranjito Drafting, Style and Enrolling 1 61[d]
21 Lorenzo Lagarde Garcés PPD Ponce Ponce Judicial Branch 1 62
91 Ramón Llobet Díaz, Jr. PEP San Juan II Guaynabo Transitory Provisions and General Affairs 1 63
80 Ramiro Martínez Sandín PSO Arecibo Vega Baja Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures

Transitory Provisions and General Affairs

2 64
43 Juan Meléndez Báez PPD San Juan I San Juan Bill of Rights 1 65
60 Ramón Mellado Parsons PPD San Juan II San Juan (Río Piedras) Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures 1 66
56 Bernardo Méndez Jiménez PPD Aguadilla San Sebastián Bill of Rights[e] 1 27
72 Armando Mignucci Calder PPD Mayagüez Yauco Scheduling 1 67
22 José Mimoso Raspaldo PPD Guayama Caguas Rules and Bylaws[h] 1 22
45 Pablo Morales Otero PPD San Juan II San Juan (Santurce) Executive Branch 1 68
09 Luis Muñoz Marín PPD At-large San Juan Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures[g] 1 04 Then-Governor of Puerto Rico
81 Luis Muñoz Rivera PPD San Juan I San Juan (Hato Rey) Accounting and Publications 1 69
76 Eduardo Negrón Benítez PPD Aguadilla San Sebastián Rules and Bylaws 1 70
07 Luis A. Negrón López PPD Mayagüez Sabana Grande Legislative Branch[g]

Executive Branch[e]

2 09
84 Abraham Nieves Negrón PPD Guayama Guayama Accounting and Publications 1 71[d]
48 Mario Orsini Martínez PSO Humacao Juncos Judicial Branch

Drafting, Style and Enrolling

2 72
06 Benjamín Ortiz Ortiz PPD At-large Guaynabo Scheduling[g]

Drafting, Style and Enrolling

2 12
24 Cruz Ortiz Stella PPD Humacao Humacao Rules and Bylaws[g]

Bill of Rights

1 13
15 Lino Padrón Rivera PSO At-large Vega Baja Bill of Rights

Legislative Branch

Judicial Branch

3 06
03 Santiago R. Palmer Díaz PPD Mayagüez San Germán Accounting and Publications[g] 1 14
47 Norman E. Parkhurst PEP San Juan II Bayamón Accounting and Publications 1 73[d]
86 Francisco Paz Granela PPD At-large San Juan (Santurce) Bill of Rights 1 74
20 Santiago Polanco Abreu PPD Arecibo Isabela Judicial Branch

Transitory Provisions and General Affairs[h]

2 20
11 Samuel R. Quiñones Quiñones PPD At-large Carolina (Carr. Isla Verde) Executive Branch[g]

Drafting, Style and Enrolling

2 07 President, Senate
49 Ubaldino Ramírez de Arellano PPD Mayagüez San Germán Legislative Branch 1 75
08 Ernesto Ramos Antonini PPD At-large San Juan (Hato Rey) Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures

Judicial Branch[g]

2 08 President, House of Representatives
88 Ramón María Ramos de Jesús PEP Guayama Aibonito Drafting, Style and Enrolling 1 76
16 Antonio Reyes Delgado PSO At-large Arecibo Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures

Bill of Rights

Executive Branch

3 77
85 Dolores Rivera Candelaria PPD Arecibo Utuado Transitory Provisions and General Affairs 1 78 Then-mayor of Utuado
44 Heraclio H. Rivera Colón PPD San Juan II Toa Alta Scheduling[h]

Legislative Branch

2 21
64 Alejo Rivera Morales PSO Humacao Ceiba Transitory Provisions and General Affairs 1 79
33 Álvaro Rivera Reyes PPD Humacao Río Grande Bill of Rights

Executive Branch[h]

2 16
71 Carmelo Rodríguez García PPD Arecibo Arecibo Executive Branch 1 80
70 Carlos Román Benítez PPD San Juan II San Juan (Santurce) Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures

Scheduling

2 81
36 Alfonso Román García PPD Humacao Fajardo Accounting and Publications[h] 1 23
50 Joaquín Rosa Gómez PPD Arecibo Manatí Rules and Bylaws 1 82
54 Alberto E. Sánchez Nazario PPD At-large San Juan (Santurce) Bill of Rights 1 83
83 Ángel Sandín Martínez PPD Arecibo Vega Baja Transitory Provisions and General Affairs[e] 1 28 Then-mayor of Vega Baja
52 Luis Santaliz Capestany PPD Aguadilla Las Marías Rules and Bylaws 1 84[n]
05 Yldefonso Solá Morales PPD Guayama Caguas Executive Branch[i]

Transitory Provisions and General Affairs[g]

2 11
31 Juan Bautista Soto González PEP At-large Gurabo Bill of Rights

Judicial Branch

2 85[n]
67 Rafael Torrech Genovés PPD San Juan II Bayamón Executive Branch 1 86 Mayor of Bayamón
40 Lucas Torres Santos PPD Ponce Orocovis Scheduling 1 87 Former-mayor of Orocovis
82 Pedro Torres Díaz PPD Humacao Gurabo Scheduling 1 88
27 José Trías Monge PPD At-large Guaynabo Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures[h]

Judicial Branch

2 15
65 Augusto Valentín Vizcarrondo PPD Mayagüez Mayagüez Legislative Branch 1 89
66 Baudilio Vega Berríos PPD Mayagüez Mayagüez Rules and Bylaws 1 90 Then-mayor of Mayagüez
19 Sigfredo Vélez González PPD Arecibo Arecibo Scheduling[e] 1 29 Former-mayor of Arecibo
63 José Veray, Jr. Hernández PEP Aguadilla Aguadilla Executive Branch

Transitory Provisions and General Affairs

2 91
87 José Villares Rodríguez PPD Guayama Caguas Judicial Branch[h] 1 17

Committees

Ten permanent committees and their officers and members were designated by the body's president, Antonio Fernós Isern, during the 25 September 1951 session,[3][8] which was followed by the naming of additional delegates and several substations on 27 September.[9] All presidents, vice presidents and secretaries were from the PPD.[9] These committees were grouped by their purposes as follows:[8]

Functions committees (3):

Constitutional committees (7):

Committee[b] Membership President Vice President Secretary Members[o][3][8][9]
Preamble, Amendment and Ordinance Procedures[p] 15 Luis Muñoz Marín José Trías Monge Jorge Font Saldaña
Rules and Bylaws[r] 11 Cruz Ortiz Stella José Mimoso Raspaldo Luis Alfredo Colón Velázquez
Accounting and Publications[s] 11 (12)[m] Santiago R. Palmer Díaz Alfonso Román García Juan Dávila Díaz
Scheduling[t] 11 Benjamín Ortiz Ortiz Heraclio H. Rivera Colón Sigfredo Vélez González
Bill of Rights[u] 17 Jaime Benítez Rexach Ernesto Carrasquillo Quiñones Bernardo Méndez Jiménez
  • Arcilio Alvarado Alvarado[q]
  • Virgilio Brunet Maldonado
  • José A. Cintrón Rivera
  • Leopoldo Figueroa Carreras
  • Rubén Gaztambide Arrillaga[q]
  • Héctor González Blanes
  • Juan Meléndez Báez
  • Cruz Ortiz Stella
  • Lino Padrón Rivera
  • Francisco Paz Granela
  • Antonio Reyes Delgado
  • Álvaro Rivera Reyes
  • Alberto E. Sánchez Nazario
  • Juan Bautista Soto González
Legislative Branch[v] 11 Luis A. Negrón López Rubén Gaztambide Arrillaga Francisco L. Anselmi Rodríguez
Executive Branch[w] 11 (12)[i] Samuel R. Quiñones Quiñones Álvaro Rivera Reyes Luis A. Negrón López
  • Luis Alfredo Colón Velázquez[i]
  • José Rosario Gelpí Bosch
  • Darío Goitía Montalvo
  • Pablo Morales Otero
  • Antonio Reyes Delgado
  • Carmelo Rodríguez García
  • Yldefonso Solá Morales
  • Rafael Torrech Genovés[i]
  • José Veray, Jr. Hernández
Judicial Branch[o] 15 Ernesto Ramos Antonini José Villares Rodríguez José M. Dávila Monsanto
Transitory Provisions and General Affairs[x] 15 Yldefonso Solá Morales Santiago Polanco Abreu Ángel Sandín Martínez
  • Manuel Acevedo Rosario
  • Francisco L. Anselmi Rodríguez
  • Carmelo Ávila Medina
  • José Bartolo Barceló Oliver
  • Luis A. Ferré Aguayo
  • Alcides Figueroa Oliva
  • Andrés Grillasca Salas
  • Ramón Llobet Díaz, Jr.
  • Ramiro Martínez Sandín
  • Dolores Rivera Candelaria
  • Alejo Rivera Morales
  • José Veray, Jr. Hernández
Drafting, Style and Enrolling[y] 11 (12)[f] Víctor Gutiérrez Franqui María Libertad Gómez Garriga
  • Arcilio Alvarado Alvarado[f]
  • Jorge Font Saldaña[f]

Notes

  1. ^ Number in the Session Hall
  2. ^ a b While the official designation for the subordinate groups was commission these were in practice committees as they did not entail an external body.
  3. ^ Employment at the time of their tenure as Delegates and position in the committee of the whole.
  4. ^ a b c d e While contemporary news reports do not include his signature, the Session Diary does include. The latter being the official source, it takes prevalence over the former.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Secretary of the commission.
  6. ^ a b c d e Alvarado Alvarado was replaced by Font Saldaña on 27 September 1951.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j President of the commission.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Vice President of the Commission.
  9. ^ a b c d e Colón Velázquez was replaced by Solá Morales on 27 September 1951.
  10. ^ While contemporary news reports included his signature, the Session Diary reflects his decision not to sign the document by correctly omitting his name. His last recorded attendance to the Convention was on the fifty-fourth day (24 January 1952).
  11. ^ Colón Castaño was opposed to signing the Constitution since it did not solve the political status of Puerto Rico, claiming that "if the United States Congress had the power to allow us to pass a constitution, it also had the power to take it away from us." [6]
  12. ^ President of the Convention
  13. ^ a b c d e Iriarte Miró was replaced by García Delgado on 27 September 1951.
  14. ^ a b While contemporary news reports places Santaliz Capestany after Soto González, the Session Diary has them in alphabetical order. The latter being the official source, it takes prevalence over the former.
  15. ^ a b El Mundo erroneously names José Veray, Jr. Hernández and Antonio Reyes Delgado, as it repeats the Executive branch list under the Judicial and then states the correct Judicial list. The Session Diary names Miguel Angel García Méndez and Mario Orsini Martínez.
  16. ^ Spanish: Preámbulo, Procedimientos de Enmiendas y Procedimientos
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Named on 27 September.
  18. ^ Spanish: Reglas y Reglamentos
  19. ^ Spanish: Contabilidad y Publicaciones
  20. ^ Spanish: Agenda
  21. ^ Spanish: Carta de Derechos
  22. ^ Spanish: Rama Legislativa
  23. ^ Spanish: Rama Ejecutiva
  24. ^ Spanish: Disposiciones Transitorias y Asuntos Generales
  25. ^ Spanish: Redacción, Estilo y Enrolado

References

  1. ^ "Lista de delegados divididos por partidos políticos" [List of Delegates Divided by Political Parties]. Proposiciones y resoluciones de la Convención Constituyente de Puerto Rico 1951-1952 [Proposals and resolutions of the Constitutional Convention of Puerto Rico 1951-1952] (in Spanish). San Juan, Puerto Rico: Academia Puertorriqueña de Jurisprudencia y Legislación. 1992. ISBN 978-0-9907566-0-6.
  2. ^ "Delegados a la Convención Constituyente de Puerto Rico 1951–1952" [Delegates to the Constitutional Convention of Puerto Rico 1951–1952]. Festival de la juventud puertorriqueña [Puerto Rican Youth Festival] (PDF) (in Spanish). Popular Democratic Party. 1970. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2021 – via Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
  3. ^ a b c "Nombran 10 Presidentes Comisiones" [10 Commission Chairpersons Appointed] (PDF). El Mundo (in Spanish). 26 September 1952. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021 – via Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
  4. ^ Gálvez Maturana, S. (7 February 1952). "Constitucion de Pto. Rico Fué Firmada Ayer Tarde Ante Jueces del Supremo" [Constitution of Puerto Rico Signed Yesterday Afternoon Before Supreme Court Justices] (PDF). El Mundo (in Spanish). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021 – via Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
  5. ^ "Firmas que aparecen en el documento de la nueva Constitución para P. Rico" [Signatures that Appear in the Document of the New Constitution for P. Rico] (PDF). La Prensa (in Spanish). 11 February 1952. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2021 – via Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.
  6. ^ Colón Muñoz, Wendell W. (13 November 2016). "Por qué mi padre no firmó la Constitución" [Why My Father Didn't Sign the Constitution]. El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). San Juan, Puerto Rico: GFR Media. p. 52-52. ISSN 1043-7614. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021 – via PressReader.
  7. ^ "Ramiro L. Colon". MoreBooks. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b c "Día 3 de Sesión" [Session Day 3] (PDF). Diario de Sesiones: Procedimientos y debates de la Convención Constituyente de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). 1 (3): 33–34. 25 September 1951. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2021 – via Senate of Puerto Rico.
  9. ^ a b c "Día 4 de Sesión" [Session Day 4] (PDF). Diario de Sesiones: Procedimientos y Debates de la Convención Constituyente de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). 1 (4): 41. 27 September 1952. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2021 – via Senate of Puerto Rico.

External links

Constitution of Puerto Rico
Signatories of the Puerto Rico Constitution
Authority control databases
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