Lares, Puerto Rico
Soto is from Lares, Puerto Rico who has served as Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture under two governors, Pedro Rosselló from 1993 to 1997 and Luis Fortuño from 2012 to 2013. During his most recent stint, he succeeded Javier Rivera Aquino, also a native of Lares, who served for over 3 years since 2009.