José Dapena Thompson
Encyclopedia
José Joaquin Dapena Thompson, known as Josito, was a Puerto Rican
politician
and Mayor of Ponce
, Puerto Rico
from 1986 to 1988.
, Spain
, in 1965. He practiced law in the island until he got involved in politics
. In 1984, he defeated the candidate from the PPD
by a narrow margin for the position of Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico
. One of the works on the city during his tenure was the construction of the La Guancha boardwalk.
of federal funds from HUD. As a result he resigned as mayor. Ivan Ayala Cadiz, former dean at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law, finished off Dapena Thompson's last few weeks mayoral term.
and works with his son, José Dapena, as of counsel
and notary
.
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and Mayor of Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, Puerto Rico
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...
from 1986 to 1988.
Training
Dapena graduated from the University of SalamancaUniversity of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, in 1965. He practiced law in the island until he got involved in politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. In 1984, he defeated the candidate from the 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....
by a narrow margin for the position of Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico
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...
. One of the works on the city during his tenure was the construction of the La Guancha boardwalk.
Mayoral term
Dapena Thompson became mayor of Ponce on 22 February 1984 upon the resignation as mayor of Jose G. Tormos Vega on that day. Later, in October of that year, he became bona fide mayor via the electoral vote. In the interim, Ruben Quinones, the Ponce Municipal Secretary, was the acting mayor. He was mayor until Ivan Ayala Cadiz assumed the mayoral post in December 1987 via nomination of the New Progressive Party. Ayala Cadiz was mayor until January 1989.Resignation
In 1988, Dapena Thompson was charged as co-author of embezzlementEmbezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
of federal funds from HUD. As a result he resigned as mayor. Ivan Ayala Cadiz, former dean at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law, finished off Dapena Thompson's last few weeks mayoral term.
Today
Dapena Thompson now resides in FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and works with his son, José Dapena, as of counsel
Of counsel
Of counsel is often the title of an attorney who is employed by a law firm or an organization, but is not an associate or a partner. Some firms use titles like "counsel," "special counsel," and "senior counsel" for the same concept...
and notary
Notary
A notary is a lawyer or person with legal training who is licensed by the state to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents...
.
See also
- Ponce, Puerto RicoPonce, Puerto RicoPonce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
- List of famous Puerto Ricans