Hector Luis Colon Mendoza

Hector Luis Colon Mendoza, known affectionately as “Güi,” was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico, on August 5, 1937, to Flor Colon and Ramona Mendoza, both community leaders. He married Sonia Rivera and had six children: Frances Glenda, Sandra, Ivette, Hector Luis, Judith, and Hector Alexis. He served in the Puerto Rico National Guard and the United States Army, leaving military service in 1958 with the rank of sergeant. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education with a specialty in mathematics from the Catholic University and worked as an educator in public schools in Guayama and Ponce. After retiring from teaching, he worked in advertising and sales, then established a gas station and adjoining restaurant in the Puente de Jobos community of Guayama. As a civic and cultural leader, he helped found the Guanina carnival in Puente de Jobos, served for many years as president of the Luis Pales Matos Cultural Center in Guayama, promoted the Guayama tourist zone, and supported artisans across Puerto Rico. He entered active politics in 1979, was elected to the Guayama Municipal Assembly in 1980, and was elected mayor in November 1984, taking office on January 13, 1984, and serving for twenty-four years. His legacy as mayor included works such as the convention center, sports complex, fine arts center, and Casa Luis Pales Matos. He died in Guayama, Puerto Rico, on September 26, 2018.

Guayama, Puerto Rico · United States