President of the Senate of Puerto Rico

President of the
Senate of Puerto Rico
Incumbent
Jose Luis Dalmau (PPD)
since January 2, 2021
StyleThe Honorable
diplomatic
Mister President
when presiding over the Senate
Nominatornominated internally by the Senate
Appointerelected internally by the Senate
Term length4 years
Inaugural holderAntonio R. Barceló
August 13, 1917
FormationMarch 2, 1917
Jones–Shafroth Act
Article III of the Constitution of Puerto Rico
DeputyPresident pro tempore

The president of the Senate of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Presidente del Senado) is the highest-ranking officer and the presiding officer of the Senate of Puerto Rico. The president has voting powers as it is elected amongst the own members of the Senate as established by Article III of the Constitution of Puerto Rico. The Constitution, however, does not establish its functions and since the Senate is the only body authorized by the Constitution to regulate its own internal affairs, the functions of the president vary from session to session—save being called "President" as the Constitution establishes.[1] The president is typically elected during the Senate's inaugural session.[2]

When absent, the president is substituted by the president pro tempore.[2] Its counterpart in the House is the speaker.

The current president is Jose Luis Dalmau, senator at-large from the Popular Democratic Party

  1. ^ "Article III, Section 9". Constitution of Puerto Rico. July 25, 1952. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  2. ^ a b R. del S. 21 del 2013, "Reglamento del Senado de Puerto Rico" (in Spanish) Senate of Puerto Rico (January 15, 2013). Retrieved on August 9, 2013.