Roberto Rexach Benítez

Rexach Benítez was born on December 18, 1929, in New York City, to Puerto Rican parents. He was raised in Puerto Rico, studying elementary school in Juncos and Arecibo. He graduated from high school in Río Piedras.

In 1951, Rexach Benítez received his bachelor's degree in social science from the University of Puerto Rico. A year later, he finished his master's degree in political science from the University of Maryland. He also completed two years of studies at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law.

Rexach Benítez worked as a professor of Political Science at the University of Puerto Rico in 1958. That same year, he was appointed Aide to the Dean of Administration. From 1961 to 1967, he served as Director and Dean of the Humacao Regional University College. After that, he worked at the same position at the Arecibo Regional University College until 1970.[1]

In 1973, Rexach Benítez was elected to the House of Representatives under the Popular Democratic Party (PPD). Some years later, he joined the opposing party, the New Progressive Party or New Party for Progress. In 1980, he worked as an aide to the President of the University of Puerto Rico, and from 1981 to 1985, he worked as an adviser to Governor Carlos Romero Barceló.

In 1984, Rexach was elected as Senator At-large at the general elections. After being sworn in, he was chosen as his party's Minority Leader. In 1988, he was reelected and ratified as NPP Minority Leader. He was again reelected at the 1992 elections, and was chosen the 10th President of the Senate of Puerto Rico by his fellow senators. He was sworn in as such on January 11, 1993[2] and stayed in that position until 1996 when he was reelected as Senator At-large.

After retiring from politics, Rexach Benítez served as an educational consultant. He also wrote a weekly column for El Vocero newspaper. He also authored several books and essays. Some of them are:

• "Un sistema de elecciones primarias para Puerto Rico" (1954)
• "Pedro Albizu Campos, leyenda y realidad" (1959)
• "Puerto Rico, un pueblo en la encrucijada" (1964)
• "La educación universitaria, lujo o necesidad"

He died April 4, 2012, at his home in Arecibo, Puerto Rico from pulmonary complications traced to 40 years of heavy cigarette smoking.[3] During a memorial service on April 5, 2012, before his remains were cremated, he was eulogized by Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock on behalf of Governor Fortuño, Puerto Rico Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz and San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini.[4] On April 9, the last of five days of official mourning declared by Governor Fortuño, a mass was held at San Agustín Church in San Juan at which Rexach was once again eulogized by McClintock[5] and Rivera Schatz, in their capacities as immediate past and present Senate presidents at the time.

• Biografía de Roberto Rexach Benítez on SenadoPR