Jose Lopez Rosario
Encyclopedia
Jose "Coquito" Lopez Rosario (1976-July 29, 2006) was a Puerto Rican
who is alleged to have been a drug dealer. Lopez Rosario's death caused a political scandal in Puerto Rico.
. He enjoyed baseball
and became known for his ability to play that sport as a teenager.
During the late 1980s and through the 1990s, a drug war ensued in Puerto Rico. Under Pedro Rossello
's government and Pedro Toledo
's commands, the Puerto Rican police arrested many well-known people who were suspected of being drug traffickers, while others died.
According to police records, Lopez Rosario rose to prominence in the underworld after the alleged former Puerto Rican mafia bosses were sent to jail or killed. He lived in a Carolina neighborhood known as "Villa Carolina", but supposedly set up business in a caserio, "Torres de Sabana". At "Torres de Sabana", Lopez Rosario was supposedly well known, and he organized reggaeton
concerts for the community. He was the owner of Blin Blin Music.
Not much is known about Lopez Rosario, except for police reports about his life. He was accused on several occasions of various crimes but never found guilty. Puerto Rican police suspect he trafficked drugs to the Dominican Republic
as well.
state in an intensive care area for six days until he died. While he was hospitalized, the Puerto Rican police, once again led by Pedro Toledo, guarded him. This caused members of the general public to criticize the police, but it was later explained that it is a requisite to deploy police personnel to Puerto Rican hospitals where a gunshot victim is being treated.
It was later disclosed that one PNP
senator, Hector Martinez
and two PNP legislators, Lornna Soto
and Epifanio Jimenez, had called the hospital to ask for his condition. Soto acknowledged to have known Lopez Rosario from his music activities, but many PNP supporters believe that the calls to the hospital were not much more than a fabrication by PNP party's main rival, the governing PPD
party.
Centro Medico personnel, meanwhile, spoke to Puerto Rican newspapers about their perceived lack of security at the hospital and requested the police to establish a station there to complement the hospital's own security team. This was asked for after allegations that about 11 or 12 of Lopez Rosario's friends were on constant vigil outside of his room, while carrying guns, supposedly making patients and visitors fear for their safety. The police have not ruled out the possibility of establishing an office at Centro Medico, but this remains to be seen. If a police station is eventually opened at Centro Medico hospital, it would be the first time that a Puerto Rican hospital has a police station inside.
Lopez Rosario's death and his alleged connections to political figures were controversial in Puerto Rico, as local newspapers such as El Nuevo Dia
and El Vocero
covered the story for days after he died, and television characters or personalities commented on the matter. Kobbo Santarrosa's doll, "La Comay", spoke about the situation on her television show, SuperXclusivo, while famed news reporter Luis Francisco Ojeda
actually called senator Martinez a "drug trafficker", also on live television.
On August 3, 2006, the FBI became involved in Lopez Rosario's death's case, looking for records pertaining to him and his activities.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
who is alleged to have been a drug dealer. Lopez Rosario's death caused a political scandal in Puerto Rico.
Biography
Lopez Rosario grew up in Carolina, Puerto RicoCarolina, Puerto Rico
Carolina is a city located in the northern part of Puerto Rico, bordering the Atlantic Ocean; it lies north of Gurabo and Juncos; east of Trujillo Alto and San Juan; and west of Canóvanas and Loíza. Carolina is spread over 12 wards plus Carolina Pueblo...
. He enjoyed baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and became known for his ability to play that sport as a teenager.
During the late 1980s and through the 1990s, a drug war ensued in Puerto Rico. Under Pedro Rossello
Pedro Rosselló
Pedro Juan Rosselló González, M.D., , is a Puerto Rican physician and politician who served as the sixth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001...
's government and Pedro Toledo
Pedro Toledo
Pedro Toledo Dávila is a former Superintendent of the Puerto Rico Police Department. He is known for serving as such for two non-consecutive terms, under two different administrations...
's commands, the Puerto Rican police arrested many well-known people who were suspected of being drug traffickers, while others died.
According to police records, Lopez Rosario rose to prominence in the underworld after the alleged former Puerto Rican mafia bosses were sent to jail or killed. He lived in a Carolina neighborhood known as "Villa Carolina", but supposedly set up business in a caserio, "Torres de Sabana". At "Torres de Sabana", Lopez Rosario was supposedly well known, and he organized reggaeton
Reggaeton
Reggaeton is a form of Puerto Rican and Latin American urban and Caribbean music. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico but is also has roots from Reggae en Español from Panama and Puerto Rico and...
concerts for the community. He was the owner of Blin Blin Music.
Not much is known about Lopez Rosario, except for police reports about his life. He was accused on several occasions of various crimes but never found guilty. Puerto Rican police suspect he trafficked drugs to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
as well.
Death and scandal
On July 23, 2006, Lopez Rosario was shot nine times in different parts of his body. He did not die instantly, but he was taken to Centro Medico hospital, where he remained under a comaComa
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
state in an intensive care area for six days until he died. While he was hospitalized, the Puerto Rican police, once again led by Pedro Toledo, guarded him. This caused members of the general public to criticize the police, but it was later explained that it is a requisite to deploy police personnel to Puerto Rican hospitals where a gunshot victim is being treated.
It was later disclosed that one PNP
New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico
The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that advocates for Puerto Rico's admission to the United States of America as the 51st state...
senator, Hector Martinez
Héctor Martínez Maldonado
Héctor Javier Martínez Maldonado is a Puerto Rican attorney and politician who served as a state senator of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. Martínez was convicted of bribery by a federal jury on March 8, 2011...
and two PNP legislators, Lornna Soto
Lornna Soto
Lornna J. Soto Villanueva is a Puerto Rican politician affiliated with the New Progressive Party . She was elected Senator for the district of Carolina in the 2004 general election along with Senator Roger J. Iglesias....
and Epifanio Jimenez, had called the hospital to ask for his condition. Soto acknowledged to have known Lopez Rosario from his music activities, but many PNP supporters believe that the calls to the hospital were not much more than a fabrication by PNP party's main rival, the governing PPD
Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico
The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that supports Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and sovereignty, through the enhancement of Puerto Rico's current status as a commonwealth....
party.
Centro Medico personnel, meanwhile, spoke to Puerto Rican newspapers about their perceived lack of security at the hospital and requested the police to establish a station there to complement the hospital's own security team. This was asked for after allegations that about 11 or 12 of Lopez Rosario's friends were on constant vigil outside of his room, while carrying guns, supposedly making patients and visitors fear for their safety. The police have not ruled out the possibility of establishing an office at Centro Medico, but this remains to be seen. If a police station is eventually opened at Centro Medico hospital, it would be the first time that a Puerto Rican hospital has a police station inside.
Lopez Rosario's death and his alleged connections to political figures were controversial in Puerto Rico, as local newspapers such as El Nuevo Dia
El Nuevo Día
El Nuevo Día is a Puerto Rican newspaper based in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico and distributed daily throughout Puerto Rico and some parts of the United States.- History :...
and El Vocero
El Vocero
El Vocero is a Puerto Rican newspaper that is published in San Juan.Published since 1974, El Vocero was at first the third of the four largest Puerto Rico newspapers, trailing El Mundo and El Nuevo Día and leading The San Juan Star in sales...
covered the story for days after he died, and television characters or personalities commented on the matter. Kobbo Santarrosa's doll, "La Comay", spoke about the situation on her television show, SuperXclusivo, while famed news reporter Luis Francisco Ojeda
Luis Francisco Ojeda
Luis Francisco Ojeda is a well known Puerto Rican television, radio reporter and host, noted for his aggressive, uncompromising questioning and commenting style.-Early years:...
actually called senator Martinez a "drug trafficker", also on live television.
On August 3, 2006, the FBI became involved in Lopez Rosario's death's case, looking for records pertaining to him and his activities.