José Aponte Hernández

José F. Aponte Hernández (born January 19, 1958) is an accountant and former Speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico. He was born in San Juan and obtained a bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras in 1980.

Not to be confused with José Aponte de la Torre.
José F. Aponte Hernández
Secretary General of the New Progressive Party
In office
2013–2016
Preceded byJosé Torres Zamora
Succeeded byJune Rivera
28th Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives
In office
January 10, 2005 – January 1, 2009
GovernorAníbal Acevedo Vilá
Preceded byCarlos Vizcarrondo Irizarry
Succeeded byJenniffer González Colón
At-Large Member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives
Assumed office
January 1, 2005
Preceded byOscar Ramos Meléndez
Member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives from the District 33
In office
2000 – January 1, 2005
Preceded byNéstor Aponte Hernández
Succeeded byÁngel R. Peña Rosa
Personal details
Born (1958-01-19) January 19, 1958
San Juan, Puerto Rico
SpouseAida Rodríguez Roig
Alma materUniversity of Puerto Rico (BA)
OccupationAccountant
NicknamePrimitivo

Personal life

Aponte is married to Aida I. Rodríguez Roig, and has two sons and one daughter. He currently resides in San Lorenzo. He was the New Progressive Party (PNP) General Secretary during the Rosselló administration. One of his older brothers, Néstor, is a state appellate judge, while another, Jorge, was the Director of the Office of Management and Budget during the Rosselló administration.

Career

He served as Secretary-General of the New Progressive Party from 1996 to 1997 (acting) and 1997 to 1999.[1]

Aponte was appointed to fill the vacancy left by his brother Néstor Aponte Hernández, as Representative from the 33rd District, after he resigned to become an Appellate Court Judge. Aponte was elected as Representative in the 2000 general elections, and was re-elected as an At-Large Representative in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 general elections.[2]

After the New Progressive Party elected 32 members of the 51-seat House of Representatives in the 2004 general elections, Aponte was elected the 28th Speaker of the House on January 10. He is also a member of the Puerto Rico Republican Party. He was defeated in his bid for re-election for Speaker by the new 37-member majority New Progressive Party caucus, which elected then Government Affairs Committee Chairwoman, Jenniffer A. González Colón.

Aponte has advocated for statehood supporting a project for statehood in 2010 and asking congress in 2016 to prioritise admitting Puerto Rico as a state .[3][4]

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Aponte spoke out against retailers who were operating game machines in their establishments, explaining that if the casinos were not allowed to operate during the pandemic neither should these smaller establishments.[5]

In February 2023, he pleaded for the annexation of Puerto Rico before the Congress of the United States of America..

References
  1. "Biografía - Hon. José F. Aponte Hernández". Cámara de Representantes de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  2. "Perfil de representante José F. Aponte Hernández" [Profile of representative José F. Aponte Hernández]. Puerto Rico Decide 2016 - ENData (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  3. "José Aponte satisfecho con Jenniffer por proyecto encaminado a plebiscito" [Jose Aponte satisfied with Jennifer for project for a plebiscite]. 22 February 2010. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  4. "Rep. Aponte Hernández Demands Action from U.S. Congress". Caribbean Business. 2016-01-09. Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  5. "Representante exige a las autoridades cerrar negocios que operen máquinas de videojuego durante la pandemia". Primera Hora (in Spanish). 2020-08-30. Archived from the original on 2021-01-10. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
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