Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá

Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá served as a Representative from Puerto Rico in the United States Congress from 2001 to 2005. A member of the Popular Democrat Party, Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá contributed to the legislative process during 2 terms in office.

Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. As a member of the House of Representatives, Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents.

Aníbal Salvador Acevedo Vilá (born 13 February 1962) is a Puerto Rican politician and lawyer who served as the governor of Puerto Rico from 2005 to 2009. He is a Harvard University alumnus (LL.M. 1987) and a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree. Acevedo Vilá has held various public service positions in the Puerto Rico government under the Popular Democratic Party, serving as a member of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico (1993–2001) and as the 17th Resident Commissioner (2001–2005), before he was sworn in as Governor on 2 January 2005. Acevedo Vilá was also a member of the National Governors Association, the Southern Governors’ Association and the Democratic Governors Association, and a collaborator on Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. He is currently an adjunct professor of the University of Puerto Rico School of Law. He unsuccessfully ran for Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico in the 2020 elections for the Popular Democratic Party. On 27 March 2008, Acevedo Vilá was indicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico on 19 counts of campaign finance violations. He subsequently organized a press conference, where he claimed that he is innocent of all charges presented against him. On 19 August 2008, he was charged with five more counts. On 1 December 2008 Judge Paul Barbadoro determined that 15 of those charges were based on a flawed theory, leaving him with only nine charges. On 20 March 2009, Acevedo Vilá was found not guilty of all the charges against him. On 4 November 2008, he failed in his bid for a second term, losing to incumbent Resident Commissioner Luis Fortuño. Two days later he stepped down as president of the Popular Democratic Party. Since 2009 he has served as the chief executive officer of the Optim Group.