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“REMEMBERING THE MAYOR OF PONCE, PR, RAFAEL ``CHURUMBA'' CORDERO SANTIAGO” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E58 on Jan. 27, 2004.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING THE MAYOR OF PONCE, PR, RAFAEL ``CHURUMBA'' CORDERO
SANTIAGO
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HON. ANIBAL ACEVEDO-VILA
of puerto rico
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend the people of Puerto Rico have lost a great man. Rafael Cordero Santiago, mayor of the Municipality of Ponce for the last 16 years, unexpectedly passed away Saturday morning at the age of 61. ``Churumba,'' as he was fondly known to everyone back home, was a pillar of strength in the Popular Democratic Party. He was an accomplished politician, a hardworking administrator, and a true and honest patriot. His unwavering commitment and dedication to his country, his party, and his beloved city of Ponce are testaments to his extraordinary character.
Born in Ponce in 1942, Cordero Santiago dedicated the majority of his life to public service. After obtaining a bachelor's degree in political science, economics, and social science from the Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, he began his public career in the Department of Commerce of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1964. From there, he moved on to serve as a special assistant to then-president of the Puerto Rican senate, Rafael Hernandez Colon, followed by terms as auxiliary Secretary of Domestic Commerce in the Department of Commerce of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and as administrator of the Right to Employment Administration. In 1988 he was elected mayor of Ponce, a position that he proudly occupied until his death.
His work in Ponce spanned almost 2 decades and is marked by great improvement and progress in the region, as evidenced by the city's economic and social growth. His most recent achievement was the approval of the Plan de Ordenacion Territorial de Ponce, which gives the city ample funding for infrastructure projects, including the Port of the Americas. I worked closely with the mayor in support of Port of the Americas, which will bring a state-of-the-art transshipment facility to Ponce that will provide for lasting job growth and economic development. Upon completion, the Port of the Americas will become the leading port in the Caribbean.
He is survived by his wife, Madeleine Velasco, and his twin daughters, Solange Marie and Mara Bianca. His years of hard work and dedication to his family, his country, and his city will live on in his unforgettable legacy. Please join me in honoring this exemplary Puerto Rican's life and supporting his family in their time of sorrow.
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