Senator José Varela Fernández

Mr. José Manuel “Conny” Varela Fernández was born on February 13, 1954, in the town of Cayey, and has resided in Caguas since 1976.

Varela Fernández studied at the Notre Dame School in Caguas and graduated from the Miguel Meléndez Muñoz Higher School, where he received the leadership medal.

He has a bachelor’s degree in Arts with a concentration in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1974. In 1977 he obtained a Juris Doctor degree from the School of Law of the University of Puerto Rico and during his first year he held the presidency of the class. In his last year as a student he worked at the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, attached to the Attorney General’s Office.

From 1977 to 1996, he was a partner at the Varela & Varela Law Firm. In 1978 he was a professor of Criminology at Puerto Rico Junior College and from 1979 to 1980, he was a professor of Commercial Law and Political Science at Caguas City College. In 1982 he presided over the Great Olympic Crusade and received a special distinction from the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee for his outstanding performance. In 1987, the Department of Recreation and Sports of the Municipality of Caguas selected him as Distinguished Youth of Caguas in the “Law” category. From 1989 to 1991, he was legal advisor to the Government Commission of the House of Representatives.

From 1989 to 1990, the American Cancer Society, Caguas District, awarded him a special award for his outstanding participation in the Education and Fundraising Crusade in that district. He distinguished himself as President of the Rotary Club of Caguas, being recognized as the most outstanding President of District 700 in 1990-1991.

Representative Varela, who is married and has three children, began his political career in 1993, when he was sworn in as Municipal Legislator of Caguas.

In 1996 he was elected for the first time as Representative to the Chamber for Representative District 32 of Caguas where he was a member and spokesperson for the minority of the Criminal Legal, Municipal Affairs and Retirement Systems commissions. In addition, he was on the Government, Civil Legal and Special Commission to Combat Crime commissions.

In the 2000 general election, he was re-elected by a margin of approximately 4,000 votes. During that four-year term he chaired the Government Commission and served as Vice President of the Finance Commission.

For the 2004 elections, he was elected again by a margin of nearly 5,000 votes, standing out as spokesperson for the minority in the Government Commission. Also, he stood out as a member of the Budget and Socioeconomic Development commissions.

In 2008 he revalidated his position again, serving as spokesperson for the minority in the Socioeconomic Development Commission and member of the Government, Comprehensive Development of the Eastern Region, Public Security, Housing and Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs commissions.

In 2012 he was re-elected to the position of Representative and chaired the Government Commission of said legislative body.

He was re-elected in 2016 and assumed the leadership as Spokesperson for the PPD Delegation in the Government Commission.

Varela revalidated in 2020, being elected by his colleagues as Vice President of the House of Representatives for the Nineteenth Legislative Assembly. During this period, he chaired the Commission for the Study and Evaluation of Puerto Rican Constitutional Law on Proposals for Amendments to the Constitution of the ELA of PR and Electoral Affairs and the Chamber Subcommittee on the situation in the Judicial Branch of said body.

In the November 2024 electoral elections, Varela once again receives the support of the Cagüeños and is sworn in for the eighth time, being appointed as Spokesperson for the PPD delegation in the Legal, Recreation and Sports and Economic Development commissions.