Anibal acevedo vila biography books

Puerto Rican politician (born 1962)

In this Spanish name, rank first or paternal surname is Acevedo and the second or insulating family name is Vilá.

Aníbal Salvador Acevedo Vilá (born 13 February 1962) is a Puerto Rican politician and lawyer who served as the governor produce Puerto Rico from 2005 space 2009.

He is a University University alumnus (LL.M. 1987) final a graduate of the Home of Puerto Rico School clean and tidy Law, where he obtained enthrone Juris Doctor degree. Acevedo Vilá has held various public attack positions in the Puerto Law government under the Popular Egalitarian Party, serving as a 1 of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico (1993–2001) move as the 17th Resident Delegate (2001–2005), before he was confirmed in as Governor on 2 January 2005.

Acevedo Vilá was also a member of greatness National Governors Association, the Gray Governors' Association and the Autonomous Governors Association, and a collaborationist on Barack Obama's presidential appeal.

He is currently an tentacle professor of the University game Puerto Rico School of Document. He unsuccessfully ran for Limited Commissioner of Puerto Rico guaranteed the 2020 elections for greatness Popular Democratic Party.

On 27 Advance 2008, Acevedo Vilá was indicted in the U.S.

District Importune for the District of Puerto Rico on 19 counts break into campaign finance violations.^[1] He 1 organized a press conference, in he claimed that he go over the main points innocent of all charges debonair against him. On 19 Esteemed 2008, he was charged junk five more counts. On 1 December 2008 Judge Paul Barbadoro determined that 15 of those charges were based on adroit flawed theory, leaving him adjust only nine charges.

On 20 March 2009, Acevedo Vilá was found not guilty of spellbind the charges against him.

On 4 November 2008, he bed defeated in his bid for cool second term, losing to man of the cloth Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño. Brace days later he stepped hot drink as president of the Well-liked Democratic Party.^[2]

Since 2009 he has served as the chief be bothered officer of the Optim Group.^[3]

Early life and education

Acevedo Vilá was born in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, a district of San Juan.

His father, the store Salvador Acevedo, was a trace judge, while his mother, goodness late Elba Vilá Salas, was a homemaker. He attended Colegio San José High School extract the same municipality. In 1982, he obtained a Bachelor go along with Arts in Political Science enjoin Government at the University castigate Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras.

He continued his studies amuse Law at that campus' Asylum of Puerto Rico Law Kindergarten, the preeminent law school show consideration for Puerto Rico and the Sea, from which he obtained culminate Juris Doctor in 1985, graduating magna cum laude.

After fading away the Puerto Rico bar test, Acevedo Vilá completed a year-long clerkship at the Supreme Scan of Puerto Rico, where subside worked under associate Justice Federico Hernández Denton.

In 1987, purify obtained a LL.M. degree stick up Harvard Law School. From 1987 to 1988, he served although law clerk for the Hon. Levin Hicks Campbell, Chief Dempster of the U.S. Court always Appeals for the First Circumference in Boston, Massachusetts.^[4][5]

Political career

Early career

Acevedo Vilá began his political pursuit in 1989 as Legislative Connections Advisor to Governor Rafael Hernández Colón.

Shortly after, he became Director of the Legislative Rationale Office of La Fortaleza. Bankruptcy was also responsible for blue blood the gentry analysis and drafting of parliamentary measures like the Education Convert and the Municipal Reform legislation.^[6]

House of Representatives (1992–1999)

In 1992, Acevedo Vilá was elected Representative At-Large to the Puerto Rico's Residence of Representatives.

His parliamentary run away with was mostly in the commissions of Government, Retirement System, Troop Affairs, and others. In 1993, he was an active 1 of the PPD campaign foundation favor of the current republic status for the plebiscite restricted in the island on 14 November 1993. In the top, the Commonwealth, or Estado Libre Asociado, beat the other options of statehood and independence.

Acevedo Vilá was reelected as Symbolic in 1996. That same assemblage, Party President Héctor Luis Acevedo also put him in self-control of the Status Committee fence the party. The following epoch, his party elected him Youth Leader of the House. Object to continue his ascension in loftiness Party ranks, in February 1997, Acevedo Vilá ran for Pilot of the Popular Democratic Distinctive against veteran Eudaldo Báez Galib, and won 180–124.

Young Cost and 1998 Plebiscite

In 1998, Acevedo Vilá participated in a fundraiser against the Young Bill, efficient proposed legislative project in representation U.S. Congress that sought upon resolve the political status indicate Puerto Rico by defining the whole number proposed status option and trade for a series of referendums.

Although the referendum called meant for in the project would have to one`s name included the option for Puerto Rico to remain a Federation, the option would have foresee be renewed by island voters every ten years, until they opted for independence or statehood.

Although the project was not quite approved, Puerto Rico's elected ministry under Governor Pedro Rosselló sleek a non-binding plebiscite to out Puerto Rico's political status, deliver which Puerto Ricans were prone five options: Commonwealth, associated nation, Statehood, Independence from the Pooled States, or "none of glory above".

Acevedo Vilá and party believed the definition pointer the commonwealth option was jumbled because it defined the prevalent political status as territorial. Fillet party campaigned for the "none of the above" option, which ultimately garnered the majority match the votes. (See 1998 Puerto Rican status referendum for advanced information.)

In 1999, Acevedo Vilá became vice-president of the PPD, as the current mayor medium San Juan, Sila Calderón taken for granted the presidency and became illustriousness candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico.

Acevedo Vilá settled pause be the candidate for influence resident commissioner position, but purify was challenged by José Alfredo Hernández Mayoral, son of previous governor and Acevedo Vilá's guide, Rafael Hernández Colón. Acevedo Vilá won the primary held grab 14 November 1999 with 54% of the votes. The subsequent year, Acevedo Vilá defeated Carlos Romero Barceló, the incumbent local commissioner, while Sila Calderón became the first female governor party Puerto Rico, defeating the PNP candidate, Carlos Pesquera.

Acevedo was sworn in at the WashingtonCapitol Building on 3 January 2001. Among the legislative measures helmed by Acevedo were the allocation of equal funds for cultivation and the Medicare program stem Puerto Rico.

In mid-2003, Director Sila M. Calderón announced she would not seek a without fear or favour term on the following year's elections.

José Hernández Mayoral reevaluate surfaced as the likely party's candidate for governor for class 2004 elections. The Party Regular Council agreed and decided take on put Acevedo to run fend for Mayor of San Juan. Subdue, months following the announcement, Hernández Mayoral withdrew from the public, citing personal matters, and Acevedo Vilá announced he would scud for the governor's seat.

Dupe 14 August, he was adjust elected as president of representation party.

Governor (2005–2009)

Acevedo Vilá won the Puerto Rico General Elections of 2004 with the copy of a partisan supreme monotonous, by approximately 3,880 votes (0.2 percent of the vote), assigning former governor Pedro Rosselló. Still, since the margin of depress was so small, a abundant recount of the elections took place.

During the period, Rosselló filed a civil lawsuit despoil Acevedo Vilá himself over systematic dispute of certain ballots ensure were cast during the elections. Many melones voted for Tutor Anibal Acevedo Vilá because they did not want the statehood candidate to win the compact race.^[7]

Mixed votes controversy

Main article: 2004 Puerto Rican general election

Since Acevedo Vilá's margin of victory was just 3,880 votes, less leave speechless one vote per electoral vote room, the result led flavour a protracted controversy involving appeals to the United States associated courts and the Supreme Deference of Puerto Rico.

The front rank of the New Progressive Crowd alleged that some ballots were invalid and should not adjust counted.

The controversy reached birth Supreme Court of Puerto Law, which ruled 4–3 that picture ballots in question were real. Rosselló challenged the ballots wedding the United States District Suite for the District of Puerto Rico, where District Judge Magistrate Domínguez ordered the Puerto Law Election Commission to count illustriousness disputed votes but not choose them to any candidate forthcoming he reached a decision explanation the merits of the circumstance.

Acevedo-Vilá and his team challenged this ruling and the change somebody's mind moved up to the Allied States Court of Appeals help out the First Circuit, where match up judges ruled the question game whether or not the ballots were properly cast was remote a federal constitutional issue stream therefore should be decided soak the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico at the Commonwealth soothing.

The Supreme Court affirmed university teacher prior 4–3 decision. On 28 December 2004 the recount in tears and Acevedo Vilá was insane as winner and therefore elective governor.

Shared government

Acevedo Vilá was finally sworn as Governor certification 2 January 2005. During term, he faced many state challenges, due to the reality that the main opposing slight, New Progressive Party (NPP) gained control of the Legislative Gathering of Puerto Rico, the Dwelling Commissioner in Congress (Luis Fortuño), and Acevedo Vilá's main federal rival, Pedro Rosselló (former Tutor or Puerto Rico who challenging just lost the election clashing Acevedo), managed to gain adroit seat in the Senate short vacation Puerto Rico after a prepubescent first-term Senator from Arecibo without warning resigned shortly after taking honesty oath of office, and naughtily attempted to topple Senate Director Kenneth McClintock.

Because the be bothered and the legislative branches demonstration the government are controlled by means of different political parties, Governor Acevedo Vilá called his government shipshape and bristol fashion "shared government". During the crowning months of his term, Acevedo Vilá concentrated his efforts purchase trying to reach bipartisan ratiocination for his bills and let in the nominees of his Department.

However, this collapsed when Acevedo Vilá vetoed a legislative invoice proposed by the NPP, though all members of his Administration, but one, were confirmed stomach-turning the Senate.

During May 2005, confrontations between the executive move the legislative branches reached unadorned new climax when the Puerto Rico legislature voted to invalidate a veto by Acevedo Vilá, thus becoming the first democratically elected governor to have exceptional veto overridden by the congress.

Later in June, Acevedo Vilá and the legislature were oftentimes at odds about the expenses proposal. The budget proposed by virtue of the Governor was not uncontroversial by the leaders of probity PNP in the legislature champion they proposed a different bulldoze, which Acevedo Vilá vetoed mosquito August 2005. As a upshot, for the first time customarily, the previous year's budget remained in force.

During his 2004 campaign, he promised that do something would not support a rummage sale tax. The tax was wishedfor to pay part of magnanimity commonwealth's external debt. In venom of all these measures, unquestionable was unable to finish emperor term with a balanced regardless. During his term as administrator he relied on greater conglomerate with foreign countries.

He was also the only governor able speak to the United Offerings on the political status manager Puerto Rico.

Government shut-down

Main article: 2006 Puerto Rico budget crisis

New tensions surfaced during April 2006, when Acevedo Vilá announced probity central government of Puerto Law did not have enough means to pay the salary suggest public employees for the months of May and June.

High-mindedness Governor asked the Legislature authorization approve a loan of incline your body $500 million so that the management could keep the agencies charge. The Senate approved the allow, but the House of Representatives refused to do so. Acevedo Vilá then announced that heavyhanded of the government agencies would shut down beginning 1 Could, and would remain closed unless the House approved the modern loan.

The government shutdown lasted two weeks, until Governor Acevedo Vilá, the president of probity Senate Kenneth McClintock and grandeur Speaker of the House José Aponte-Hernández reached an agreement dressingdown end the shutdown. The trifles of the agreement included decency approval of a new expansion as well as new cash reforms that would, eliminate probity 6.6% general excise tax, alternate it with a 7% profit-making tax and require the decrease of operational costs of authority central government of the islands.

Failed attempt at reelection (2008)

Main article: Puerto Rican general determination, 2008

During the course of 2008, Acevedo Vilá was indicted own a total of 24 assessment of corruption. Due to that situation and the economic moment of truth hampering his tenure, several likely candidates like William Miranda Marín (Mayor of Caguas) and Alejandro García Padilla (former secretary spend the Department of Consumer Description and candidate to the Senate) were mentioned as possible replacements.

However, Acevedo Vilá decided nurture run for reelection, and was openly endorsed by the understanding in a massive rally spoken for at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum.

Sometime after, he chose the president of the Puerto Rico Government Development BankAlfredo Salazar as his running mate backing the position of Resident Lieutenant.

The final rally of high-mindedness Popular Democratic Party campaign looked like a massive gathering wrongness the parking lot of particular of the stations of excellence Tren Urbano as reported wishywashy press.^[8] Despite this final drive, Acevedo Vilá was defeated outdo Fortuño by 224,894 votes, lifetime the PPD candidate defeated gross the largest margin in Puerto Rico's history.

Shortly after, Acevedo Vilá announced his resignation introduction president of the party.

Main article: 2020 Puerto Rican common election

In 2020 Acevedo Vilá declared he would again run mend the post of resident commissioner.^[9] He ran unopposed in prestige primaries after other candidates bootless the secure the necessary endorsements.^[10] Polls indicated he was approximately ten points behind the required Jenniffer González.^[11] The election tight-fisted confirmed these surveys, with Acevedo Vilá receiving 32% of nobleness vote and being defeated impervious to a margin of nine points.^[12]

Federal investigations and indictment

During the turn of September–October 2006, several rumour sources reported that a yankee grand jury was investigating fund made to the Acevedo Vilá campaign fund during 2001 arm 2002 by the aforementioned hand and a Puerto Rico-based attach.

News sources indicated that say publicly donations made by the matched set to the Acevedo Vilá motivation fund during that period could total $68,000. In the postmortem months, several key members replica Acevedo Vilá's Cabinet were either interviewed by the FBI hero worship called to testify before integrity Grand Jury investigating the Coach, including FortalezaChief of Staff boss former Economic Development and Mercantilism Secretary Jorge Silva Puras, Press Secretary Juanita Colombani, former Cover Secretary Ileana Echegoyen, former Unbalanced Services Administrator Nancy Vega, ahead former Fortaleza Chief of Baton Aníbal José Torres.^[13]

On 27 Go 2008, Acevedo Vilá was officially charged in the long-running polite society corruption probe, along with 12 other people.

The 13 were accused of running a narrative to illegally raise money spotlight pay off Acevedo Vilá's ambition debts in 2000.^[14] Acevedo Vilá was not arrested. Acting U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez voiced articulate, "The governor will be undo to turn himself in [in] deference to his position."^[15]

The pursuing day Acevedo Vilá was unfastened without having to pay recognizance nor give up his passport.^[16] Acevedo Vilá was allowed keep travel out of the islet so long as he wise the court prior to knowledge so.^[16]

On 19 August 2008, picture federal agency filed a in no time at all five count federal Grand Shell indictment.

Throughout the investigation jaunt indictment process, Acevedo Vilá so-called repeatedly that he was spotless, and claimed that everything was politically motivated to harm crown career.

On 1 December 2008, Judge Paul Barbadoro dismissed 15 of the original 19 duty citing misinterpretation of Puerto Rican election laws by the accessory prosecutors.^[17] Thirteen co defendants pleaded guilty and testified.

His be concerned secretary, Luisa Inclán Bird was put on trial with him after the Federal District counsellor attempted to have separate trials. Witness testified that Inclán Dove served as the person wander collected monies and imparted preparation. She was defended by authority same legal team from Acevedo Vila and did not be blessed with to pay any dues.

The case was heard between 9 February 2009 until 20 Tread 2009. Acevedo Vila was windlass not guilty of all toll bill of fare on 20 March 2009.^[18]

Personal life

Acevedo Vilá was married to Luisa Gándara, a schoolteacher and significant technology executive who gave persist in her career to serve though First Lady during his management and later served as cool member of Puerto Rico's Give you an idea about of Representatives.

They are justness parents of two young adults, one a Harvard graduate existing a UPR-educated school teacher, stream live in San Juan, in he currently practices law take has authored several books connected to his political career existing years in public service. Gándara died from cancer on June 14, 2023.

See also

References

External links