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In a heartfelt posthumous tribute ceremony honoring eight (8) significant figures associated with the Puerto Rico Delegation, this year’s Puerto Rican Week Conversation and National Puerto Rican Parade event in New York attracted over one hundred and fifty (150) attendees representing the island in 2024. The event took place at the headquarters of the Association of Members of the Puerto Rico Police and saw participation from the esteemed Group 21 of Washington alongside the Chamber of Commerce of Spain in Puerto Rico, led by its president Lcdo. Ramón González Simounet, Chief Executive Officer of EMPIRE Gas Group, along with the CROEM ALUMNI (Association of Graduate Students of the Mayagüez Residential Center for Educational Opportunities).
“This event has been a remarkable achievement, allowing us to honor posthumously those individuals connected with the Puerto Rican Delegation that annually travels to partake in the Puerto Rican Week and the National Puerto Rican Parade in New York. The honored individuals include Dr. Ramón S. Vélez Ramírez, former Congressman Robert Bob García, Don Ramón González Cordero (founder of EMPIRE Gas), Aníbal Meléndez (former mayor of Fajardo), Orlando Muñiz Bonet, Gilberto Conde Román (former mayor of Juncos), and Dr. Héctor O. Rivera,” stated Wilson Nazario, the coordinator of the delegation attending New York.
The organizing committee of the delegation announced that certificates of recognition would be presented to The San Juan Daily Star alongside businessman José González Freyre (president of Pan American Grain), Nilsa Rivera (Pan American Grain), Lydia Burgos Pagán (Jugo Lutos), Héctor Camacho (JetBlue), Carlos Mercado (executive director of the Tourism Company), Edgard Gonzalez (Innova), Koffy Brunch & Bistro, José Luis Dalmau (Senator), Luis R. “Narmito” Ortiz (Representative), Grégory Gonsález Souchet (Mayor of Peñuelas), Eddie Charbonier Chinea (Representative), José Luis Rivera-Villamañán, and Johnny Cruz (Salsa Museum in New York), who are all collaborators and sponsors of the Puerto Rico Delegation.
