The government of Governor of Puerto Rico Luis Muñoz Marín was that of the first elected governor. In addition to that, it was the first whose cabinet did not receive the advice and consent of the United States Senate, but from the Puerto Rico Senate. This all came as part of the 1947 Puerto Rico Elective Governor Act. During this government, the Puerto Rican people addressed via Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950's mechanism the creation of their own constitution, which was ratified and enacted in the latter months of the Muñoz Marín government, which reconfigured the system of government by creating the Puerto Rico Council of Secretaries and enlarged the Legislative Assembly's chambers. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico was established, and the 1952 Commonwealth Constitution is, with some amendments, the current constitution of the archipelago.
Party breakdown Party breakdown of cabinet members, not including the governor: Popular Democratic Party 4 Independents 2
The cabinet was composed of members of the PPD and two independents or technical positions (or people whose membership in a party was not clearly ascertained from any available media).
After the Constitution got adopted in July 1952, this balance changed to:
Popular Democratic Party 5 Independents 2
Members of the Initial Cabinet The Puerto Rican Cabinet was led by the Governor alone in this period. The Cabinet was composed of all the heads of the executive departments of the insular government. A feature of this government is a reshuffle and recomposition of the Cabinet with the introduction of the Constitution of Puerto Rico in July 1952. This involved changing names of offices, and a transition to the fully constitutional government of the Commonwealth.
Office Name Party Term Governor Governor of Puerto Rico Luis Muñoz Marín Popular Democratic Party 2 January 1949 – 2 January 1965 Secretaries and Commissioners Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce Ramón Colón Torres Popular Democratic Party 2 January 1949 - 24 July 1952 Attorney General Vicente Geigel Polanco Popular Democratic Party 2 January 1949 - 1 February 1951 Víctor Gutiérrez Franqui Popular Democratic Party 7 February 1951 - 24 July 1952 Secretary of the Treasury Sol Luis Descartes Andreu Popular Democratic Party 2 January 1949 - 24 July 1952 Commissioner of Public Instruction Mariano Villaronga Toro Ind. 2 January 1949 - 24 July 1952 Commissioner of Health Juan A. Pons Ind. 1946 - 24 July 1952 Commissioner of Labor Fernando Sierra Berdecía Popular Democratic Party 1947 - 24 July 1952
Constitutional Cabinet The new cabinet is a continuation of the old, although positions were changed, split, or reshuffled with the new constitutional order.
Office Name Party Term Governor Governor of Puerto Rico Luis Muñoz Marín Popular Democratic Party 24 July 1952 – 2 January 1965 Council of Secretaries Secretary of State Roberto Sánchez Vilella Popular Democratic Party 25 July 1952 - 2 January 1965 Secretary of Agriculture, Commerce, and Public Works Ramón Colón Torres Popular Democratic Party 25 July 1952 - 1956 Secretary of Justice Víctor Gutiérrez Franqui Popular Democratic Party 25 July 1952 - 31 October 1952 Vacant Vacant 31 October 1952 - 7 January 1952 Secretary of the Treasury Sol Luis Descartes Andreu Popular Democratic Party 25 July 1952 - 24 July 1955 Secretary of Public Instruction Mariano Villaronga Toro Ind. 25 July 1952 - 2 January 1957 Secretary of Health Juan A. Pons Ind. 25 July 1952 - 1956(?) Secretary of Labor Fernando Sierra Berdecía Popular Democratic Party 25 July 1952 - 1962
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