# List of governors of Puerto Rico

This list of governors of Puerto Rico includes all persons who have held that post, either under Spanish or American rule. The governor of Puerto Rico is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The position was first established by the Spanish Empire during the 16th century following the archipelago's colonization.
The first person to officially occupy the position was Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León in 1509. At the time, the Spanish monarchy was responsible for appointing the functionary who would perform this office. The first native Puerto Rican to perform the function was Juan Ponce de León II, as interim governor in 1579. During this administration, all of those appointed to take the position had served another function within the empire's government or the Roman Catholic Church. In 1898, the United States invaded Puerto Rico and the Spanish government ceded control of the island to the United States. During the first two years, the entire government in Puerto Rico was appointed by the president of the United States. In 1900, the American government approved the establishment of the Foraker Act as a federal law, this act established a civilian government in the island. In 1947, the federal Elective Governor Act was enacted, which created a new system where, since 1948, the governor is elected through a democratic process every four years. The governor is in charge of Puerto Rico's executive branch and is responsible for appointing executive branch agency heads, including the Secretary of State, who fulfills the role of lieutenant governor, the legislative branch's ombudsman and comptroller and all judges in the judicial branch.

## Duties and succession

In the governor's absence, or if the governor dies or is unable to perform the executive duties, the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico takes control of the executive position, as acting governor during a temporary absence or inability, and as governor in case of death, resignation or impeachment and conviction. The elected governor must designate a number of secretaries and other agency heads that will control the individual administrative agencies during his time in office, the selected secretaries are in charge of the island's health, natural resources, economy, correctional and judicial agencies and the department of consumer concerns, among others. The Governor's four-year term begins on January 2, the day after the New Year's Day holiday.
On July 24, 2019, Ricardo Rosselló became the first governor to resign his office. This happened after more than a week of protests due to a chain of corruption arrests and a leaked Telegram chat which contained offensive remarks made by the governor.

## List of governors of Puerto Rico
### Governors under Spanish Crown

| No. | Governor (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office |
| 1 | $_{CaptainGeneral}$ $_{Don}$ Juan Ponce de León (1st time) 1474 – July 1521 (aged c. 47) | June 15, 1508 | October 28, 1509 |
| 2 | Juan Cerón | October 28, 1509 | March 2, 1510 |
| 3 | $_{CaptainGeneralDon}$ Juan Ponce de León (2nd time) | March 2, 1510 | November 28, 1511 |
| 4 | Juan Cerón | November 28, 1511 | June 2, 1512 |
| 5 | Rodrigo Moscoso | June 2, 1512 | 1513 |
| 6 | $_{CaptainGeneral}$ Cristóbal de Mendoza | 1513 | 1515 |
| 7 | $_{CaptainGeneralDon}$ Juan Ponce de León (3rd time) | July 15, 1515 | September 12, 1519 |
| 8 | Sánchez Velázquez | 1514 | 1519 |
| 9 | Antonio de la Gama | 1519 | 1521 |
| 10 | Pedro Moreno | 1521 | 1523 |
| 11 | $_{Bishop}$ Alonso Manso | 1523 | 1524 |
| 12 | Pedro Moreno | 1524 | 1528 |
| 13 | Antonio de la Gama | 1528 | 1530 |
| 14 | $_{LieutenantGeneral}$ Francisco Manuel de Landó | 1530 | 1536 |
| 15 | Vasco de Tiedra | 1536 | 1537 |
| 16 | Vasco de Tiedra | 1537 | 1544 |
| 17 | Jerónimo Lebrón de Quiñones | 1544 | 1544 |
| 18 | $_{Lcdo.}$ Iñigo López Cervantes y Loayza | 1544 | 1546 |
| 19 | $_{Lcdo.}$ Diego de Caraza | 1546 | 1548 |
| 20 | Diego de Caraza | 1548 | 1550 |
| 21 | Luis de Vallejo | 1550 | 1555 |
| 22 | $_{Lcdo.}$ Alonso Esteves | 1555 | 1555 |
| 23 | $_{Lcdo.}$ Diego de Caraza | 1555 | 1561 |
| 24 | Antonio de la Llama Vallejo | 1561 | 1564 |
| 25 | Francisco Bahamonde De Lugo | 1564 | 1568 |
| 26 | Francisco de Solís Osorio | 1568 | 1574 |
| 27 | Francisco de Obando y Mexia | 1575 | 1579 |
| 28 | Juan Ponce de León II | 1579 | 1579 |
| 29 | Jerónimo de Agüero Campuzano | 1580 | 1580 |
| 30 | $_{CaptainGeneral}$ Juan de Céspedes | 1580 | 1581 |
| 31 | $_{CaptainGeneral}$ Juan López Melgarejo | 1581 | 1582 |
| 32 | $_{CaptainGeneral}$ Diego Menéndez de Valdés | June 12, 1582 | May 11, 1593 |
| 33 | $_{Colonel}$ Pedro Suárez de Coronel (1st time) | May 11, 1593 | December 18, 1597 |
| 34 | $_{CaptainGeneral}$ Antonio de Mosquera | December 18, 1597 | August 13, 1598 |
| 35 | $_{Colonel}$ Pedro Suárez de Coronel (2nd time) | November 23, 1598 | March 22, 1599 |
| 36 | $_{CaptainGeneral}$ Alonso de Mercado | March 22, 1599 | July 15, 1601 |
| 37 | $_{CaptainGeneral}$ Sancho Ochoa de Castro | July 15, 1601 | July 22, 1608 |
| 38 | Gabriel de Rojas Párano | July 22, 1608 | September 14, 1614 |
| 39 | Captain General Felipe de Beaumont y Navarra | September 14, 1614 | June 1, 1619 |
| 40 | Juan de Vargas | June 1, 1619 | August 29, 1625 |
| 41 | Captain General Juan de Haro y Sanvítores | August 29, 1625 | January 24, 1631 |
| 42 | Captain General Enrique Enriquez de Sotomayor | January 24, 1631 | February 23, 1635 |
| 43 | Captain General Iñigo de la Mota Sarmiento | February 23, 1635 | May 16, 1640 |
| 44 | Captain General Agustín de Silva y Figueroa | May 16, 1640 | December 2, 1641 |
| 45 | Captain General Juan de Bolaños | December 2, 1641 | July 9, 1643 |
| 46 | Fernando de la Riva Agüero y Setien | July 9, 1643 | May 24, 1649 |
| 47 | Diego de Aguilera y Gamboa | May 24, 1649 | 1655 |
| 48 | José Novoa y Moscoso Pérez y Buitron | 1655 | August 15, 1660 |
| 49 | Captain General Juan Pérez de Guzmán y Chagoyen | August 15, 1660 | November 23, 1664 |
| 50 | Jerónimo de Velasco | November 23, 1664 | June 23, 1670 |
| 51 | Gaspar de Arteaga y Aunoavidao | June 23, 1670 | March 17, 1674 |
| 52 | Diego Roblandillo | March 17, 1674 | August 20, 1674 |
| 53 | Captain General Baltazar Figueroa y Castilla | August 20, 1674 | April 6, 1675 |
| 54 | Alonso de Campos y Espinosa | April 6, 1675 | August 22, 1678 |
| 55 | Juan de Robles Lorenzana | August 22, 1678 | July 18, 1683 |
| 56 | Captain General Gaspar Martínez de Andino | July 18, 1683 | 1685 |
| 57 | Juan Francisco Medina | 1685 | 1690 |
| 58 | Gaspar de Arredondo y Valle | 1690 | 1695 |
| 59 | Juan Francisco Medina | 1695 | 1697 |
| 60 | Tomás Franco | 1697 | 1698 |
| 61 | Antonio de Robles Silva | 1698 | 1699 |
| 62 | Gabriel Suárez de Ribera | October 17, 1699 | July 23, 1703 |
| 63 | Diego Jiménez de Villarán | 1703 | 1703 |
| 64 | Francisco Sánchez Calderón | 1703 | 1703 |
| 65 | Pedro Arroyo y Guerrero | 1704 | 1705 |
| 66 | Juan Francisco López de Morla | 1706 | 1706 |
| 67 | Francisco Danío Granados | 1706 | 1708 |
| 68 | Colonel Juan de Ribera | July 18, 1711 | February 12, 1715 |
| 69 | José Francisco Carreño | February 12, 1715 | May 3, 1716 |
| 70 | Alfonso Bortodano | May 3, 1716 | April 7, 1720 |
| 71 | Francisco Danio Granados | April 7, 1720 | August 22, 1724 |
| 72 | Captain General José Antonio de Mendizabal y Azcue | August 22, 1724 | October 11, 1730 |
| 73 | Lieutenant Colonel Matías de Abadía | October 11, 1731 | June 28, 1743 |
| 74 | Domingo Pérez de Mandares | June 28, 1743 | October 29, 1744 |
| 75 | Colonel Juan José Colomo | October 29, 1744 | August 11, 1750 |
| 76 | Colonel Agustín de Parejas | August 11, 1750 | July 8, 1751 |
| 77 | Lieutenant Colonel Esteban Bravo de Rivero | July 8, 1751 | May 1, 1753 |
| 78 | Captain General Felipe Ramírez de Estenos | May 1, 1753 | August 30, 1757 |
| 79 | Esteban Bravo de Rivero | August 30, 1757 | June 3, 1759 |
| 80 | Mateo de Guaso Calderón | June 3, 1759 | March 7, 1760 |
| 81 | Esteban Bravo de Rivero | March 7, 1760 | April 20, 1761 |
| 82 | Lieutenant Colonel Ambrosio de Benavides | April 20, 1761 | March 12, 1766 |
| 83 | Colonel Marcos de Vergara | March 12, 1766 | October 28, 1766 |
| 84 | Lieutenant Colonel José Trentor | October 28, 1766 | July 31, 1770 |
| 85 | Colonel Miguel de Muesas | July 31, 1770 | June 2, 1776 |
| 86 | Colonel José Dufresne | June 2, 1776 | April 6, 1783 |
| 87 | Field Marshal Don Juan Andrés Daban y Busterino | April 6, 1783 | March 27, 1789 |
| 88 | Coronel Francisco Torralbo y Robles | March 27, 1789 | July 8, 1789 |
| 89 | Brigadier General Miguel Antonio de Ustáriz | July 8, 1789 | May 19, 1792 |
| 90 | Coronel Francisco Torralbo y Robles | May 19, 1792 | March 10, 1793 |
| 91 | Brigadier General Enrique Grimarest | March 10, 1793 | March 21, 1795 |
| 92 | Field Marshal Don Ramón de Castro y Gutiérrez | March 21, 1795 | November 12, 1804 |
| 93 | Toribio Montes | November 12, 1804 | June 3, 1809 |
| 94 | Salvador Meléndez Bruna | June 30, 1809 | March 22, 1820 |
| 95 | Brigadier General Juan Vasco y Pascual | March 24, 1820 | August 7, 1820 |
| 96 | Brigadier General Gonzalo Arostegui y Herrera | August 7, 1820 | February 12, 1822 |
| 97 | Coronel José de Navarro | February 12, 1822 | May 30, 1822 |
| 98 | Francisco González de Linares | May 30, 1822 | December 4, 1823 |
| 99 | Lieutenant General Miguel Luciano de La Torre y Pando | December 4, 1823 | January 14, 1837 |
| 100 | Francisco Javier de Moreda y Prieto | January 14, 1837 | December 15, 1837 |
| 101 | Field Marshal Miguel López de Baños | December 15, 1837 | October 2, 1840 |
| 102 | Lieutenant General Santiago Méndez de Vigo | October 2, 1840 | March 11, 1844 |
| 103 | Lieutenant General Rafael de Aristegui y Vélez | March 11, 1844 | December 15, 1847 |
| 104 | Field Marshal Don Juan Prim de Prats y Gonzalez | December 15, 1847 | September 12, 1848 |
| 105 | Lieutenant General Juan de la Pezuela y Cevallos | September 12, 1848 | April 23, 1851 |
| 106 | Enrique de España y Taberner | April 23, 1851 | August 23, 1852 |
| 107 | Lieutenant General Fernándo Norzagaray y Escudero | August 23, 1852 | January 31, 1855 |
| 108 | Lieutenant General Andrés García Camba | January 31, 1855 | August 23, 1855 |
| 109 | Lieutenant General José Lemery Ibrarrola Ney y Gonzalez | August 23, 1855 | January 28, 1857 |
| 110 | Lieutenant General Fernando Cotoner y Chacon | January 28, 1857 | July 31, 1860 |
| 111 | Sabino Gamir Maladen | July 31, 1860 | August 19, 1860 |
| 112 | Lieutenant General Rafael Echague y Bermingham | August 19, 1860 | February 17, 1862 |
| 113 | Brigadier General Rafael Izquierdo y Gutierrez | February 17, 1862 | April 29, 1862 |
| 114 | Lieutenant General Félix María de Messina Iglesias | April 29, 1862 | November 18, 1865 |
| 115 | Lieutenant General José María Marchessi y Oleaga | November 18, 1865 | November 17, 1867 |
| 116 | General Julián Juan Pavia Lacy | November 17, 1867 | December 30, 1868 |
| 117 | General José Laureano Sanz y Posse | December 30, 1868 | May 21, 1870 |
| 118 | Lieutenant General Gabriel Baldrich | April 4, 1870 | September 13, 1871 |
| 119 | General Ramón Gómez Pulido | September 13, 1871 | July 30, 1872 |
| 120 | General Simón de la Torre Ormaza | July 30, 1872 | November 5, 1872 |
| 121 | Brigadier General Joaquín Eurile Hernan | November 5, 1872 | February 14, 1873 |
| 122 | Lieutenant General Juan Martínez Plowes | February 14, 1873 | March 25, 1873 |
| 123 | General Rafael Primo de Rivera y Sobremonte | March 25, 1873 | February 2, 1874 |
| 124 | General José Laureano Sanz y Posse | February 2, 1874 | December 16, 1875 |
| 125 | General Segundo de la Portilla Gutierrez | December 16, 1875 | January 24, 1877 |
| 126 | General Manuel de la Serna Hernandez y Pinzón | January 24, 1877 | April 26, 1878 |
| 127 | General José Gamir Maladen | April 26, 1878 | June 24, 1878 |
| 128 | General Eulogio Despujols y Dussay | June 24, 1878 | July 7, 1881 |
| 129 | General Segundo de la Portilla Gutierrez | July 7, 1881 | November 23, 1883 |
| 130 | General Miguel de la Vega Inclán y Palma | November 23, 1883 | July 31, 1884 |
| 131 | General Don Carlos Suances Campos | July 31, 1884 | September 19, 1884 |
| 132 | General Ramón Fajardo Izquierdo | September 19, 1884 | November 25, 1884 |
| 133 | General Luis Daban y Ramírez de Arellanó | November 25, 1884 | March 23, 1887 |
| 134 | General Romualdo Palacios Gonzalez | March 23, 1887 | November 9, 1887 |
| 135 | General Juan Contreras Martinez | November 9, 1887 | February 25, 1888 |
| 136 | General Pedro Ruiz Dana | February 25, 1888 | April 18, 1890 |
| 137 | Brigadier General José Pascual Bonanza | 1890 | 1890 |
| 138 | General José Lasso y Pérez | 1890 | 1893 |
| 139 | General Antonio Daban y Ramírez de Arrellanó | January 10, 1893 | June 22, 1895 |
| 140 | General José Gamir Maladen | June 22, 1895 | January 17, 1896 |
| 141 | General Emilio March | January 17, 1896 | February 15, 1896 |
| 142 | General Sabas Marín González | February 15, 1896 | January 4, 1898 |
| 143 | General Ricardo de Ortega y Diez | January 4, 1898 | January 11, 1898 |
| 144 | General Andrés González Muñoz | January 11, 1898 | January 11, 1898 |
| 145 | General Ricardo de Ortega y Diez | January 11, 1898 | February 2, 1898 |
| 146 | General Manuel Macías Casado | February 2, 1898 | October 14, 1898 |
| 147 | General Ricardo de Ortega y Diez | October 14, 1898 | October 16, 1898 |
| 148 | Captain Ángel Rivero Méndez | October 16, 1898 | October 18, 1898 |

### Governors under U.S. colonial administration
#### Military government

| No. | Name | Took office | Left office |
| 149 | Commanding General Nelson A. Miles | July 25, 1898 | October 18, 1898 |
| 150 | Major General John R. Brooke | October 18, 1898 | December 6, 1898 |
| 151 | Major General Guy Vernor Henry | December 6, 1898 | May 9, 1899 |
| 152 | Major General George Whitefield Davis | May 9, 1899 | May 1, 1900 |

#### Post-Foraker Act of 1900

| No. | Name | Took office | Left office | Notes |
| 153 | Charles Herbert Allen | May 1, 1900 | September 15, 1901 | First U.S. civil governor appointed by President William McKinley |
| 154 | William Henry Hunt | September 15, 1901 | July 4, 1904 | |
| 155 | Beekman Winthrop | July 4, 1904 | April 17, 1907 | |
| 156 | Regis Henri Post | April 17, 1907 | November 6, 1909 | |
| 157 | George Radcliffe Colton | November 6, 1909 | November 15, 1913 | |
| 158 | Arthur Yager | November 15, 1913 | May 15, 1921 | Classmate of President Woodrow Wilson. With his support, the United States Congress adopted the Jones-Shafroth Act |
| 159 | José E. Benedicto | May 15, 1921 | July 30, 1921 | Interim governor |
| 160 | Emmet Montgomery Reily | July 30, 1921 | February 16, 1923 | |
| 161 | Juan Bernardo Huyke | February 16, 1923 | April 1, 1923 | Interim governor |
| 162 | Horace Mann Towner | April 1, 1923 | September 29, 1929 | |
| 163 | James R. Beverley | September 29, 1929 | September 9, 1929 | The only non-Puerto Rican appointee of 15 from 1900 to 1952 who could speak Spanish before going there. |
| 164 | Theodore Roosevelt Jr. | September 9, 1929 | January 30, 1932 | |
| 165 | James R. Beverley 2nd Term | January 30, 1932 | July 3, 1933 | |
| 166 | Robert Hayes Gore | July 3, 1933 | January 11, 1934 | |
| 167 | Benjamin Jason Horton | January 11, 1934 | February 5, 1934 | |
| 168 | Blanton C. Winship | February 5, 1934 | June 25, 1939 | Summarily removed by President Roosevelt on May 12, 1939. |
| 169 | José E. Colón | June 25, 1939 | September 11, 1939 | Interim governor |
| 170 | William D. Leahy | September 11, 1939 | November 28, 1940 | |
| 171 | José Miguel Gallardo | November 28, 1940 | February 3, 1941 | Interim governor |
| 172 | Guy J. Swope | February 3, 1941 | July 24, 1941 | |
| 173 | José Miguel Gallardo | July 24, 1941 | September 19, 1941 | Interim governor |
| 174 | Rexford Tugwell | September 19, 1941 | September 2, 1946 | |
| 175 | Jesús T. Piñero | September 2, 1946 | January 2, 1949 | Only native Puerto Rican governor appointed under US colonial administration |

### Governors under the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico

New Progressive Party (8)  Popular Democratic Party (7)
US party affiliation
Democratic Party (10)  Republican Party (4)  Independent (1)
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) | Term | Duration | Party | Election | National Party Affiliation |
| 176 | Luis Muñoz Marín (1898–1980) | January 2, 1949 – January 2, 1965 (did not run) | 16 years | Popular Democratic | 1948 | Independent |
| 176 | Luis Muñoz Marín (1898–1980) | January 2, 1949 – January 2, 1965 (did not run) | 16 years | Popular Democratic | 1952 | Independent |
| 176 | Luis Muñoz Marín (1898–1980) | January 2, 1949 – January 2, 1965 (did not run) | 16 years | Popular Democratic | 1956 | Independent |
| 176 | Luis Muñoz Marín (1898–1980) | January 2, 1949 – January 2, 1965 (did not run) | 16 years | Popular Democratic | 1960 | Independent |
| 177 | Roberto Sánchez Vilella (1913–1997) | January 2, 1965 – January 2, 1969 (lost election) | 4 years | Popular Democratic | 1964 | Democratic |
| 178 | Luis A. Ferré (1904–2003) | January 2, 1969 – January 2, 1973 (lost election) | 4 years | New Progressive | 1968 | Republican |
| 179 | Rafael Hernández Colón (1936–2019) | January 2, 1973 – January 2, 1977 (lost election) | 4 years | Popular Democratic | 1972 | Democratic |
| 180 | Carlos Romero Barceló (1932–2021) | January 2, 1977 – January 2, 1985 (lost election) | 8 years | New Progressive | 1976 | Democratic |
| 180 | Carlos Romero Barceló (1932–2021) | January 2, 1977 – January 2, 1985 (lost election) | 8 years | New Progressive | 1980 | Democratic |
| 181 | Rafael Hernández Colón (1936–2019) | January 2, 1985 – January 2, 1993 (did not run) | 8 years | Popular Democratic | 1984 | Democratic |
| 181 | Rafael Hernández Colón (1936–2019) | January 2, 1985 – January 2, 1993 (did not run) | 8 years | Popular Democratic | 1988 | Democratic |
| 182 | Pedro Rosselló (b. 1944) | January 2, 1993 – January 2, 2001 (did not run) | 8 years | New Progressive | 1992 | Democratic |
| 182 | Pedro Rosselló (b. 1944) | January 2, 1993 – January 2, 2001 (did not run) | 8 years | New Progressive | 1996 | Democratic |
| 183 | Sila María Calderón (b. 1942) | January 2, 2001 – January 2, 2005 (did not run) | 4 years | Popular Democratic | 2000 | Democratic |
| 184 | Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (b. 1962) | January 2, 2005 – January 2, 2009 (lost election) | 4 years | Popular Democratic | 2004 | Democratic |
| 185 | Luis Fortuño (b. 1960) | January 2, 2009 – January 2, 2013 (lost election) | 4 years | New Progressive | 2008 | Republican |
| 186 | Alejandro García Padilla (b. 1971) | January 2, 2013 – January 2, 2017 (did not run) | 4 years | Popular Democratic | 2012 | Democratic |
| 187 | Ricardo Rosselló (b. 1979) | January 2, 2017 – August 2, 2019 (resigned) | 2 years, 212 days | New Progressive | 2016 | Democratic |
| – | Pedro Pierluisi (b. 1959) De facto | August 2, 2019 – August 7, 2019 (successor took office) | 5 days | New Progressive | None | Democratic |
| 188 | Wanda Vázquez Garced (b. 1960) Constitutional appointment | August 7, 2019 – January 2, 2021 (lost nomination) | 1 year, 148 days | New Progressive | None | Republican |
| 189 | Pedro Pierluisi (b. 1959) | January 2, 2021 – January 2, 2025 (lost nomination) | 4 years | New Progressive | 2020 | Democratic |
| 190 | Jenniffer González-Colón (b. 1976) | January 2, 2025 – Incumbent | 69 days | New Progressive | 2024 | Republican |