José Joaquin Dapena Thompson (born c. 1938), known as Josito, was a Puerto Rican politician and Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico from 22 February 1984 to 1988.
Schooling Dapena graduated from the University of Salamanca, Spain, in 1965. He practiced law in the island until he got involved in politics. In 1984, he defeated the candidate from the PPD by a narrow margin for the position of Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Mayoral term Dapena Thompson became mayor of Ponce on 22 February 1984 upon the resignation as mayor of Jose G. Tormos Vega on that day. Later, in October of that year, he became bona fide mayor via the electoral vote. In the interim, Ruben Quinones, the Ponce Municipal Secretary, was the acting mayor. He was mayor until Ivan Ayala Cadiz assumed the mayoral post in December 1987 via nomination of the New Progressive Party. Ayala Cadiz was mayor until January 1989.Alcaldia de Ponce Ciudad Senorial. Iris Antongiorgi and Gladys E. Tormes Gonzalez, supervisor, Ponce Historical Archive, Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
Resignation In 1988, Dapena Thompson was "named an unindicted co-conspirator" of embezzlement of federal funds from HUD.Misla Indictment Another Black Eye For Statehooders. Robert Becker. Puerto Rico Herald. 2 November 2001. Accessed 18 July 2019. As a result, he resigned as mayor.El Retorno de Josito Dapena. El Nuevo Dia. 15 April 1994. (In Spanish) Retrieved 3 April 2010. Ivan Ayala Cadiz, former assistant dean at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law, finished off Dapena Thompson's last few weeks' mayoral term.Niega Cadiz una Pobre Fiscalización en Ponce. El Nuevo Dia. 1 March 1994. (In Spanish.) Retrieved 3 May 2010.
Today Dapena Thompson lived in Ponce and worked with his grandson, David Antonio, as of counsel and notary. He has also served as legal advisor to senator Larry Seilhamer.
See also Ponce, Puerto Rico List of Puerto Ricans
References
Further reading Fay Fowlie de Flores. Ponce, Perla del Sur: Una Bibliográfica Anotada. Second Edition. 1997. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce. p. 124. Item 624. Mariano Vidal Armstrong. Quien es quien en Ponce y leyendas de antaño. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Imprenta Fortuño. 1986. (Colegio Universitario Tecnológico de Ponce, CUTPO; Recinto Universitario de Mayaguez, RUM) Fay Fowlie de Flores. Ponce, Perla del Sur: Una Bibliografía Anotada. Segunda Edición. 1997. Ponce, Puerto Rico: Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce. p. 4. Item 22. "Ponce." El Reportero. 9 de mayo de 1985. (Supplement) pp. S1-S52. Interview with Jose Joaquín Dapena Thompson.