Rep. José “Che” Pérez Cordero (PR)

Representative José “Ché” Pérez Cordero is an At-Large Representative in the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, currently serving his third consecutive term. He is the Chair of the Judiciary Committee and Vice Chair of the Federal Relations Committee. A member of the New Progressive Party (PNP), he is a vocal advocate for Puerto Rico’s statehood and regularly participates in national forums, including engagements in the U.S. Congress, to promote the island’s decolonization.

Rep. Pérez Cordero is a proud product of Puerto Rico’s public education system. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, known as “El Colegio,” and a Juris Doctor from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law in Ponce. Admitted to practice law and serve as a notary in Puerto Rico, he maintained private legal practice until his election to public office in 2016. Before that, he held key government positions, including Special Assistant at the Office of the Commissioner of Municipal Affairs (OCAM) and Legal Advisor to the Public Service Commission (CSP).

In the legislature, he promotes forward-thinking policies in areas such as sports, environmental protection, consumer rights, and access to essential services. He has also been a member of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Advisory Council since 2017.

A lifelong athlete and surfing enthusiast, Pérez Cordero is a former champion in judo and Olympic wrestling, and a member of the Gallery of Immortals of Collegiate Sports at UPR-Mayagüez.