Calderón Cerame named party’s new secretary general
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Popular Democratic Party (PDP) President Pablo José Hernández Rivera, announced on Monday his first party appointments, focusing on the secretary general post and the electoral structure of the party.
The new PDP president, who is also Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner in Washington, D.C., named Manuel Calderón Cerame as secretary general of the PDP, replacing Juan Luis Camacho Semidei, who tendered his resignation from the post on Sunday, while Ernesto González Rodríguez and Ramón Luis Hernández Espino will assume the positions of electoral commissioner and alternate electoral commissioner, respectively.
“They are all top-notch professionals with extensive administrative and political experience,” Hernández Rivera said in a written statement. “I am sure that their knowledge will be key to our work plans within the party.”
Calderón Cerame has worked as a legislative adviser, columnist and political analyst for more than a decade. In 2022, he became the PDP spokesperson in San Juan, standing out for his oversight. He has a master’s degree in history of the Americas and a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Inter-American University of Puerto Rico.
“Today marks the beginning of a hard-working journey. There is no time to lose,” Calderón Cerame said. “My priorities in these first three months will be to listen to the party’s base in the eight senatorial districts, to attend to the party’s finances by establishing a group of recurring donors and to coordinate effective oversight with our legislators and mayors.”
González Rodríguez, the new electoral commissioner, has been a legal officer at the Puerto Rico Supreme Court, municipal secretary of Arecibo, and Hernández Rivera’s campaign manager in last year’s elections. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), where he graduated magna cum laude, and holds master’s degrees in political communication and government from George Washington University and in law from Complutense University of Madrid. He is also pursuing a doctorate in administrative law.
“I appreciate the president’s confidence in appointing me to represent the party that since its foundation has defended clean voting in the State Elections Commission,” González Rodríguez said. “Our first task, together with the other commissioners, will be to select the new leadership of the State Elections Commission for the positions of chairperson and alternate chairperson.”
Hernández Espino, the new alternate electoral commissioner, has been administrator of the Arecibo Driver’s Service Center and an adviser on municipal and administrative matters with an emphasis on federal issues. He holds a Juris Doctor from Inter-American University, and a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in business administration, both from UPR.
“Addressing the electoral issue is a priority on our work agenda,” Hernández Espino said. “I am ready to take on the challenges and work hard to achieve the party’s victory in 2028.”
Hernández Rivera stressed that the appointments are essential for the organizational structure of the PDP and gave assurances that his presidency will be characterized by discipline, organization and work ethic.
During the legislative conference meeting, the PDP present and legislators from the party addressed five priority issues: Evaluate legislative bills in accordance with the PDP’s founding principles from a realist, autonomist and centrist perspective; support the efforts of the resident commissioner and PDP president in matters of economic development, fair treatment of federal funds and electrical reconstruction; oversee the governing New Progressive Party administration, particularly regarding LUMA Energy, the private operator of the island’s electric power transmission and distribution system, and the disbursement of federal funds; insist on the approval of balanced budgets to comply with the requirements for the exit of the Financial Oversight and Management Board; and improve communication regarding the PDP’s legislative and oversight work in the media.
