predecessor successor children party office term_start spouse article_title term_end name occupation
estebán meléndez lornna soto 9 new progressive party -lrb- pnp -rrb- mayor of canóvanas january 2 , 1993 delia villanueva jose chemo soto
 june 28 , 2014 josé ramón soto rivera politician
jose chemo soto

josé ramón soto rivera -- better known as chemo soto -- is the mayor of canóvanas , puerto rico and a member of the new progressive party .
soto began his tenure as mayor of canóvanas when he was elected at the 1992 puerto rican general election .
soto beat candidates estéban meléndez -lrb- ppd -rrb- and eduardo betancourt -lrb- pip -rrb- to win the seat .
he has been reelected five consecutive times -lrb- 1996 , 2000 , 2004 , 2008 , and 2012 -rrb- making him one of the longest tenured mayors in the island .
during his time in office , soto has become known for his fervent belief in the existence of the chupacabra .
since the 1990s , soto has claimed that the mythical creature roams the terrains of canóvanas .
ever since , he has organized various expeditions to search for it , without success .
in 2014 , soto announced his intention to retire from politics .
