Governor of Puerto Rico - History

History

See also: History of Puerto Rico, cacique, Conquistador, and Political status of Puerto Rico

Juan Ponce de León was appointed as the first Governor of Puerto Rico in 1508 and assumed the post in 1510. In 1579, after several others had already served as Governor, Juan Ponce de León II became the first person born in Puerto Rico to assume, temporarily, the governorship of Puerto Rico. He served until the arrival of Jerónimo de Agüero Campuzano, who assumed the governorship of the island that same year.

For several months in 1923, it is believed that Juan Bernardo Huyke may have served as an interim Governor between the administrations of Emmet Montgomery Reily and Horace Mann Towner, but historical references for that period are difficult to find.

In 1946, President Harry Truman appointed Jesús T. Piñero to the governor's seat. This marked the first time in history that the federal government of the United States appointed a native Puerto Rican to hold the highest office on the island. Piñero remained in office until 1948, when Puerto Ricans were allowed to choose their governor for the first time in history.

In 1948, Luis Muñoz Marín became the first Puerto Rican elected to the governorship of Puerto Rico.

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