The Rise of Two Party Politics in Puerto Rico

Following Luis Munoz Marin’s decision to not seek reelection in office in 1965,Marin’s right hand man and chief legislative assistant, Roberto Sánchez Vilella, was elected into Puerto Rico’s governorship. With Marin’s support, Vilella won a massive victory, capturing sixty percent of the ballots (Thomas 1997). He was governor from 1965 to 1969 during which time he created an “extensive program for the construction of hospitals and regional health centers throughout the island” (Fusté-Lacourt 2005). Vilella also supported agricultural reform and helped to create the Highways Authority. However, what he is most known for is instigating the split of the PDP, the party which he began his role in government with and helped to build up under Luis Munoz Marin.

Encouraged by Marin, Vilella announced that he would not run in the 1969 elections after a then scandalous affair with Jeannette Ramos Buonomo, the legislative assistant whom he eventually divorced his wife in order to marry. However, Vilella surprised the public by changing his mind when his term was over and announcing his intention to run-- this time under a political party of his own creation: the Popular Party. The reasoning behind Vilella's sudden split from the PDP was supposedly the emphasis that he placed on the need for the mobilization of the younger generation and their entrance into politics. Though Vilella was heartily defeated in the 1969 elections and though the Popular Party is no longer in existence today, the creation of the Popular Party marked an important turning point in Puerto Rican politics. The 1969 elections marked the first victory for the New Progressive Party and the first loss that the Popular Democratic Party had ever experienced. What's more, the margin of victory for the PNP was quite small, smaller than the number of votes that the Popular Party received in that year. Ever since then, Puerto Rico has been considered a two party system with the governorship of the country shifting back and forth between the PNP and PDP ever since.

2 Jan 1965 - 2 Jan 1969 Roberto Sánchez Vilella PPD
2 Jan 1969 - 2 Jan 1973 Luis Alberto Ferré Aguayo PNP
2 Jan 1973 - 2 Jan 1977 Rafael Hernández Colón (1st time) PPD
2 Jan 1977 - 2 Jan 1985 Carlos Antonio Romero Barceló PNP
2 Jan 1985 - 2 Jan 1993 Rafael Hernández Colón (2nd time) PPD
2 Jan 1993 - 2 Jan 2001 Pedro Juan Rosselló González PNP
2 Jan 2001 - 2 Jan 2005 Sila María Calderón (f) PPD
2 Jan 2005 - 2 Jan 2009 Aníbal Acevedo Vilá PPD
2 Jan 2009 - Incumbent Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset PNP
(World Statesmen.org)

Thomas, Robert . 1997. Roberto Sanchez Vilella, 84, Puerto Rican Governor, Dies. New York Times (March 26), http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/26/us/roberto-sanchez-vilella-84-puerto-rican-governor-dies.html (accessed 15 December 2009).

Fusté-Lacourt, Luis. 2005. 14th Legislature of Puerto Rico, 6th Session, 11 April. http://www.oslpr.org/download/en/2004/0019.pdf (accessed 15 December 2009).

Ben Cahoon. Puerto Rico. World Statesmen.org. http://worldstatesmen.org/Puerto_Rico.html (accessed 15 December 2009).

Sánchez Vilella, político puertorriqueño. (image). Hegemonía del Partido Popular (1944-1968) http://ve.kalipedia.com/historia-puertorico/tema/estado-libre-asociado-siglo-xxi/roberto-sanchez-vilella.html?x1=20080805klphishpr_12.Kes&x=20080805klphishpr_14.Kes 16 December 2009