Miguel Miguel Pereira Castillo

Background

Miguel Pereira Castillo was born on September 26, 1947 in Cayey, Puerto Rico.

Education

Pereira studied in Puerto Rico public school system, obtaining his high school diploma from the Benjamin Harrison High School in his hometown. Pereira graduated in 1968 in the middle of the Vietnam War.

Career

Throughout his career, he has served in various government positions like Director of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, Superintendent of the Puerto Rico Police Department and Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. In 2012, he was elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico for the District of Guayama. In 1964, Pereira enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras to complete a Bachelor"s degree in psychology.

While studying there, he had his first military experience with the Reserve Officers" Training Corps (Reserve Officers Training Corps).

After graduating, Pereira joined the United States Air Force and became a rescue helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. During that time, he accrued more than 1,000 flight hours.

Pereira was shot down on December 27, 1972 while flying a rescue mission 22 miles away from Hanoi. He would later receive a as well.

After five years, Pereira earned a scholarship to study law at Hofstra University in New New York

After passing the bar exam, he returned to the Air Force Legal Department. After that, he started working for the United States Department of Justice in Washington, District of Columbia He worked as a district attorney for 12 years.

In 2001, Governor of Puerto Rico Sila Calderón appointed Pereira as Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. However, on 2002, Calderón put Pereira in charge of the Puerto Rico Police Department.

The next year, Pereira swapped positions with Víctor Rivera González, which left him as Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Pereira occupied the seat for the next four years, finishing his term on January 1, 2009. During his tenure, Pereira promoted the medication of drug addicts treating them as sick people instead of delinquents. In October 29, 2011, Pereira presented his candidacy to the Senate of Puerto Rico with the Popular Democratic Party (Plasma Physics Division).

He decided to run for the District of Guayama because he was "born, raised, and educated in lieutenant" On March 2012, he was the candidate with most votes within his district during the Plasma Physics Division primaries.

After the general elections, Pereira resulted victorious earning a seat in the Senate.

Achievements

• Silver Star Purple Heart Airman"s Medal Vietnam Service Medal National Defense Service Medalwith 1 service star.