Sergio Peña Clos

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Sergio Nicolás Peña Clos
Member of the
Puerto Rico Senate
from the At-large district
In office
1980–2004
President pro tempore of the Senate of Puerto Rico
In office
1981–1988
Preceded byJosé Manuel Ramos Barroso
Succeeded byMiguel Deynes Soto
Personal details
Born(1927-06-13)June 13, 1927
Senator, Attorney

Sergio Nicolás Peña Clos (June 13, 1927 – March 20, 2018) was a

Senator. He was a member of the Senate of Puerto Rico
from 1980 to 2004.

Early years and studies

Sergio Peña Clos was born on June 13, 1927, on

Río Piedras at the age of fourteen.[1] With only 15 years, Peña Clos enrolled at the University of St. Louis in Missouri, where he studied for three years. He then returned to Puerto Rico and in 1951, he finished his bachelor's degree in social science at the University of Puerto Rico. In 1955, he graduated as an attorney from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law
.

Professional career

At age 21, Peña Clos was a judicial adviser to judge Julio Suárez Garriga. At the age of 23, he opened his own law firm in Caguas working as a criminal lawyer.

In 1960, while working at the

Puerto Rican gang members (aged 16 and 15 respectively) accused of murdering two innocent teenagers and sentenced to death row. Peña Clos appeared at the New York Court of Appeals as a friend of the court, analyzing the case. Peña Clos also met with Governor Nelson Rockefeller, and eventually Agrón's death sentence was eliminated, while Hernández' sentence was revoked.[2]

In 1975, Peña Clos was named member and Vice President of the Civil Rights Commission of the Government of Puerto Rico. He remained in the commission until 1977.

Political career

First terms as Senator with the PPD: 1980-1996

Peña Clos began his political career in

Senator with the PNP: 1996-2000

Peña Clos left the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) and joined the

Cerro Maravilla incident
.

Independent senator and return to the PPD: 2000-2004

Peña Clos was again reelected in 2000 with the New Progressive Party.[5] However, he left the party in the middle of his term and declared himself an independent senator. He finished the term returning to the Popular Democratic Party. He presented his candidacy under the PPD for the 2003 primaries, but lost.[6]

Later years: 2004-2018

Peña Clos continued working as an attorney. He also collaborated as a political commentator in television and radio shows. He died on March 20, 2018, at the age of 90.

Personal life

Peña Clos was married to Zoraida Ortiz Rivera, who was almost 40 years younger. In 2005, the senator was accused of domestic violence against Ortiz, but a jury absolved him of the charge.[7]

See also

Senate of Puerto Rico
Preceded by President pro tempore of the Senate of Puerto Rico
1981–1988
Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ Sergio Peña Clos analista de WKAQ on WKAQ 580
  2. ^ Sergio Peña Clos analista de WKAQ AM on WKAQ 580
  3. ^ Elecciones Generales de 1992: Senadores por Acumulación[permanent dead link] on CEEPUR
  4. ^ Elecciones Generales de 1996: Senadores por Acumulación[permanent dead link] on CEEPUR
  5. ^ Elecciones Generales de 2000: Escrutinio de Senadores Archived 2012-01-08 at the Wayback Machine on CEEPUR (December 19, 2000)
  6. ^ Primarias 2003: Escrutinio General Archived 2008-11-28 at the Wayback Machine on CEEPUR
  7. ^ "Políticos involucrados en casos de violencia doméstica". El Nuevo Día. February 23, 2012. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012.

External links