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Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico

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Highest legislative officer in the US territory

Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico

Incumbent Carlos "Johnny" Méndez Núñez since January 2, 2025
Style	The Honorable diplomatic Mister Speaker when presiding over the House
Nominator	nominated internally by the House
Appointer	elected internally by the House
Term length	4 years
Inaugural holder	Manuel F. Rossy
Formation	Foraker Act Jones–Shafroth Act Article III of theConstitution of Puerto Rico
Deputy	Speaker pro tempore

ThePresident of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico —commonly called theSpeaker of the House (Spanish:Presidente de la Cámara de Representantes)— is the highest-ranking officer and thepresiding officer of theHouse of Representatives of Puerto Rico. The Speaker has voting powers as it is elected amongst the own members of the House as established byArticle III of theConstitution of Puerto Rico. The Constitution, however, does not establish its functions and since the House is the only body authorized by the Constitution to regulate its own internal affairs, the functions of the Speaker vary from session to session—save being called "Speaker" as the Constitution establishes.^[1] The Speaker is typically elected during the House inaugural session.^[2]

When absent, the Speaker is substituted by theSpeaker pro tempore.^[2] Its counterpart in theSenate is thePresident of the Senate.

The current Speaker isCarlos Johnny Méndez, representativeDistrict 36 from theNew Progressive Party

Background

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The Speaker traces its history back to more than 126 years ago when theForaker Act formally established the post on April 12, 1900. Several laws eventually superseded said act, and the post was eventually established by theConstitution of Puerto Rico, specificallyArticle III, which establishes that, "[...]the House of Representatives [shall elect] a Speaker from among [its] members." The Constitution, however, does not establish what a "Speaker" is nor what its function should be.^[1] Internal rules adopted by the House through asimple resolution establish its definition, functions, responsibilities, and legal scope.^[2]

Functions

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Typically the Speaker is responsible for the observance and compliance of the House internal rules. He also typically:^[2]

presides all joint commissions,
resolves and decides all parliamentary situations andrules of order brought in sessions,
names all permanent and special commissions of the House, as well as being a memberex officio of each one,
signs all bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, reorganization plans, and simple resolutions approved by the House and the Legislative Assembly,
convenesspecial sessions of the House,
maintains order and decorum in the House, a responsibility typically delegated to theSergeant-at-Arms of the House,
must vote in all matters presented in the House (can not abstain),
represents the House in all forums,
is responsible for all administrative matters of the House, a responsibility typically delegated to theSecretary of the House,
prepares an annual and monthly report detailing all work done by the House,
appoints an internal auditor for the House,
prepares the budget of the House,
prepares a registry of all lobbyists that must be freely available to the public,
is responsible of providing free access to the public to all works generated by the House, and
offers training and continuing education opportunities to House members, advisors, and employees.

Speakers

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Main article:List of Speakers of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico

1900–1904:Manuel F. Rossy Calderón
1905–1906:Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón
1907–1907:Francisco P. Acuña y Paniagua
1907–1918:José de Diego Martínez
1918–1920:Juan Bernardo Huyke
1921–1923:Cayetano Coll y Cuchí
1923–1924:Miguel Guerra Mondragrón
1925–1930:José Tous Soto
1930–1932:Manuel F. Rossy Calderón
1932–1932:Rafael Alonso Torres
1933–1940:Miguel A. García Méndez
1941–1943:Samuel R. Quiñones
1943–1944:Rafael Arrillaga Torrens
1944–1944:Rafael Rodríguez Pacheco
1945–1945:María L. Gómez Garriga
1945–1948:Francisco M. Susoni Abreu
1948–1963:Ernesto Ramos Antonini
1963–1964:Santiago Polanco Abreu
1965–1968:Arcilio Alvarado Alvarado
1969–1972:Angel Viera Martínez
1973–1976:Luis E. Ramos Yordán
1977–1982:Angel Viera Martínez
1982–1984:Severo Colberg Ramírez
1985–1992:Jose Ronaldo Jarabo
1993–1996:Zaida R. Hernández Torres
1997–2000:Edison Misla Aldarondo
2001–2004:Carlos Vizcarrondo Irizarry
2005–2008:José Aponte Hernández
2009–2012:Jenniffer González Colón
2013–2016:Jaime Perelló
2016-2016(acting):Roberto Rivera Ruiz de Porras
2017–2020:Carlos Johnny Méndez
2021–2025:Rafael Hernández Montañez
2025–Present:Carlos Johnny Méndez

Republican Party Union Party New Progressive Party Popular Democratic Party
#	Name	Took office	Left office	Party	Speaker pro tempore
1	Manuel F. Rossy Calderón	December 3, 1900	December 31, 1904	Republican
2	Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón	January 10, 1905	December 31, 1906	Union
3	Francisco P. Acuña y Paniagua	January 14, 1907	March 6, 1907	Union
4	José de Diego Martínez	March 6, 1907	July 16, 1918	Union	Juan Bernardo Huyke
5	Juan Bernardo Huyke	November 26, 1918	December 31, 1920	Union	Miguel Guerra Mondragón
6	Cayetano Coll y Cuchí	February 14, 1921	February 11, 1923	Union	Alfonso Lastra Chárriez
7	Miguel Guerra Mondragrón	February 12, 1923	December 31, 1924	Union	Alfonso Lastra Chárriez
8	José Tous Soto	February 9, 1925	February 18, 1930	Republican	Miguel Guerra Modragón 1925–1929 Benigno Fernández García 1929–1930
9	Manuel F. Rossy Calderón	February 20, 1930	August 6, 1932	Republican	Enrique Landrón Otero 1930 Rafael Alonso Torres 1930–1931
10	Rafael Alonso Torres	October 18, 1932	December 31, 1932	Socialist	Jorge Romaní
11	Miguel A. García Méndez	February 13, 1933	December 31, 1940	Republican	Rafael Alonso Torres
12	Samuel R. Quiñones Quiñones	February 12, 1941	March 5, 1943	PPD	Luis Sánchez Frasqueri
13	Rafael Arrillaga Torrens	March 5, 1943	February 24, 1944	Socialist	Julio Reguero González
14	Rafael Rodríguez Pacheco	February 24, 1944	December 31, 1944	Republican	Julio Reguero González
15	María L. Gómez Garriga	January 11, 1945	February 12, 1945	PPD	Guillermo Alicea Campos
16	Francisco M. Susoni Abreu	February 12, 1945	June 5, 1948	PPD	Ernesto Ramos Antonini
17	Ernesto Ramos Antonini	June 22, 1948	January 9, 1963	PPD	Benjamín Ortiz Ortiz 1949–1952 María L. Gómez Garriga 1953–1956 Jorge Font Saldaña 1957–1962
18	Santiago Polanco Abreu	January 14, 1963	December 31, 1964	PPD	Benjamín Ortiz Ortiz
19	Arcilio Alvarado Alvarado	January 11, 1965	December 31, 1968	PPD	Aguedo Mojica
20	Angel Viera Martínez	January 13, 1969	December 31, 1972	PNP	Rubén Otero Bosco 1969–1970 José E. Salichs Lope de Haro 1970–1972
21	Luis E. Ramos Yordán	January 8, 1973	December 31, 1976	PPD	Severo Colberg Ramírez
22	Angel Viera Martínez	January 10, 1977	January 28, 1982	PNP	José N. Granados Navedos 1977 – 1978 José E. Salichs Lope de Haro 1978 – December 31, 1980 Severo Colberg Ramírez 1981 – 1982
23	Severo Colberg Ramírez	January 28, 1982	December 31, 1984	PPD	Presby Santiago García
24	José R. Jarabo Alvarez	January 14, 1985	December 31, 1992	PPD	Samuel Ramírez Torres
25	Zaida R. Hernández Torres	January 11, 1993	December 31, 1996	PNP	Edison Misla Aldarondo
26	Edison Misla Aldarondo	January 13, 1997	December 31, 2000	PNP	José N. Granados Navedos January 1997 – June 30, 1999 Edwin Mundo Ríos June 30, 1999 – December 31, 2000
27	Carlos Vizcarrondo Irizarry	January 8, 2001	December 31, 2004	PPD	Ferdinand Pérez Román
28	José F. Aponte Hernández	January 10, 2005	December 31, 2008	PNP	Epifanio Jiménez
29	Jenniffer A. González Colón	January 12, 2009	December 31, 2012	PNP	Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló
30	Jaime Perelló	January 14, 2013	August 29, 2016	PPD	Roberto Rivera
31	Carlos Johnny Méndez	January 9, 2017	December 31, 2020	PNP	José Torres Zamora
32	Rafael Hernández Montañez	January 11, 2021	January 2, 2025	PPD	José "Conny" Varela
33	Carlos Johnny Méndez	January 2, 2025	present	PNP	Angel Peña Ramírez

Speakerspro tempore

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TheVice President of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico (commonly called theSpeakerpro tempore) is the second highest-ranking officer of theHouse of Representatives of Puerto Rico. The Speakerpro tempore substitutes the Speaker of the House in his absence. The Speaker pro tempore has a counterpart in theSenate by thePresidentpro tempore of the Senate.