Secretary of State of Puerto Rico

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Secretary of State of Puerto Rico" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Secretary of State of Puerto Rico
Official seal
Incumbent Omar Marrero since July 12, 2021
Department of State
Nominator	Governor
Appointer	Governor with advice and consent from the Senate and House of Representatives
Term length	At the pleasure of the Governor
Formation	Established by Article IV of the Constitution of Puerto Rico
Succession	First
Salary	$90,000 (set by statute) USD[1]
Website	www.estado.pr.gov

The secretary of state of Puerto Rico (Spanish: Secretario de Estado de Puerto Rico) leads all efforts that promote the cultural, political, and economical relations between Puerto Rico and foreign countries, and other jurisdictions of the United States. The post was created by Article IV of the Constitution of Puerto Rico which merely establishes that the secretary serves as acting governor when the governor is unable to perform his duties—a post similar to that of a lieutenant governor in U.S. politics. In recent times, however, the post has evolved into one similar to that of a foreign minister. Today, the secretary is the officer in charge of Puerto Rico's foreign relations, albeit under the consent of Congress or the U.S. Department of State due to Puerto Rico's political status.

Administratively, the post differs to other similar titles in U.S. politics. Namely, that in contrast to lieutenant governors, the secretary is not elected by the people. He is instead appointed by the governor with advice and consent from both the Senate and House of Representatives. In addition, the secretary does not have any role whatsoever in the state legislature, in contrast to lieutenant governors. Unlike secretaries of state in other U.S. jurisdictions, the secretary of state of Puerto Rico does not take part in the elections process. That responsibility falls into the State Commission on Elections.

Yet, the post does have some similarities to other U.S. secretaries of state. For example, the secretary of state of Puerto Rico is also the chief clerk of the commonwealth and the primary custodian of important records. The secretary promulgates all Puerto Rican laws after the governor signs them and keeps records of them online and offline. They also keeps record of business charters, professional licenses, trademarks, and other documents. Civil acts like marriage licenses, birth certificates, and adoption and divorce decrees, however, are kept in record by the Department of Health of Puerto Rico. Other historical documents are kept in the General Archives of Puerto Rico, a program of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture.

In summary, the secretary of state of Puerto Rico is, by law, the chief clerk, the acting governor, and the officer in charge of the commonwealth's foreign relations. Because of these responsibilities, the post is typically occupied by a highly competent individual with some degree of veterancy, starting with Roberto Sánchez Vilella in 1952. This cadre has led citizens and politicians alike to hold secretaries of state in high esteem regardless of their political affiliation.