Jesús T. Piñero

Jesús Toribio Piñero ( born April 6, 1897 in Carolina, Puerto Rico, † November 16, 1952 at Loiza, Puerto Rico ) was the first Puerto Ricans, who was appointed by the U.S. government for governor of his home.

Life

As the son of a rich family Piñero completed his school education in his hometown. He graduated in 1914 graduated from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Puerto Rico. He also studied engineering science at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. From 1920 to 1944, Piñero worked in the dairy industry and the cultivation of sugar cane. He always was interested in agricultural development in Puerto Rico, which also caused him to become involved in politics.

Policy

He was from 1928 to 1932, when the government of Puerto Rico has been determined by the United States, President of the Municipal Assembly of Carolina. In the following four years was the president of the Association of the sugar cane industry and was a member of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico. In 1938, Piñero founded along with Luis Muñoz Marín, the Partido Popular Democrático. The party appointed him Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, which he the island as a delegate in the House of Representatives of the United States in Washington, DC represented. However, He had no right to vote. In 1946, U.S. President Harry S. Truman appointed him to succeed the incumbent Governor Rexford Tugwell since 1941. Piñero was the first locals in this post which he held until 1949. Then Luis Muñoz Marín chose the first choice in Puerto Rico for themselves.

Death

Piñero died on 16 November 1952 in Loiza and was buried in his hometown Carolina. In his honor, a high school and a main street in San Juan have been named after him. At the entrance to his home town of sculptor Jose Buscaglia Guillermety erected a statue of him.