The short version
- Metro Puerto Rico and NotiCel reported that Eudaldo Báez Galib died Thursday morning at age 87
- His son José Báez confirmed the death to PPD officials according to NotiCel and El Nuevo Día
- Báez Galib served as senator from 1993 to 2005, electoral commissioner in the 1980s and PPD secretary general
- PPD leaders, the mayor of Mayagüez and Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz issued condolences
Death Confirmed by Family and Party
Eudaldo Báez Galib, a former senator for the Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), died Thursday morning at the age of 87. Metro Puerto Rico reported that the party confirmed the news through written statements. His son, former Representative José Báez, also confirmed the death to party officials, NotiCel reported.
The former senator had recently suffered a fall that led to health complications, El Nuevo Día reported. No cause of death or funeral arrangements have been released by any of the outlets that covered the story.
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What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Don Eudaldo fue uno de los legisladores de mayor intelecto en el Senado. Desde la minoría, se distinguió por su dominio del proceso parlamentario y por su insistencia en que cada medida se atendiera conforme a la Constitución y al Reglamento del Cuerpo.
Our translation: Don Eudaldo was one of the legislators of greatest intellect in the Senate. From the minority, he distinguished himself by his mastery of parliamentary procedure and his insistence that every measure be handled according to the Constitution and the Rules of the Body.
The source's own statement, as quoted by Metro Puerto Rico. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Political Career and Tributes
Báez Galib was born in Mayagüez in 1939. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics and a Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico in 1965. He served as PPD electoral commissioner in 1985 under Gov. Rafael Hernández Colón and became party secretary general in 1989, Primera Hora reported. He was elected senator at-large in 1992 and served until 2005, chairing committees on government, consumer affairs, labor and ethics.
PPD Senate spokesman Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz described him as “one of the legislators of greatest intellect in the Senate” and praised his mastery of parliamentary procedure. Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz called him “a leading actor in Puerto Rico’s political work on electoral, legislative and ideological matters.” Mayagüez Mayor Jorge Ramos Ruiz said the city that saw him born had lost a distinguished son whose public service left a mark on Puerto Rican political history. All three outlets carried the statements.
In the 2024 election Báez Galib voted for Juan Dalmau of the PIP instead of the PPD candidate, citing concern for Puerto Rico’s nationality, a decision he explained in a column published by El Nuevo Día.
Where the sources differ
All sources agree that Eudaldo Báez Galib died Thursday morning at age 87 and that his son José Báez confirmed the news. Metro Puerto Rico, NotiCel, Primera Hora and El Nuevo Día all report the same core facts and carry overlapping quotes from PPD officials. El Nuevo Día and NotiCel add that he had recently suffered a fall that caused complications; the other outlets do not mention it. Primera Hora and El Nuevo Día give slightly different start dates for his Senate service (1993 vs. elected 1992). All five outlets report tributes from PPD leaders, the mayor of Mayagüez and Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz, with minor variations in wording.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state the exact cause of death, the location where he died, whether he was hospitalized after the fall, or any details about funeral services or burial. No family member other than his son is quoted, and no schedule for public viewing or memorial events has been released.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Muere el exsenador popular Eudaldo Báez Galib
- Reporting Fallece el exsenador Eudaldo Báez Galib
- Reporting Fallece el exsenador popular Eudaldo Báez Galib
- Reporting Fallece el exsenador popular Eudaldo Báez Galib
- Reporting Fallece el abogado y exsenador popular, Eudaldo Báez Galib
How we checked this
Metro Puerto Rico, NotiCel, Primera Hora, El Nuevo Día and Telemundo Puerto Rico all reported the death on Thursday, Oct. 29, drawing on confirmation from the PPD and Báez Galib’s son. The tributes from Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz, Pablo José Hernández Rivera, Jorge Ramos Ruiz and Thomas Rivera Schatz appear across multiple outlets, while the detail about a recent fall rests solely on El Nuevo Día.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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