By Caitlin Mota
The Jersey Journal

Eliu Rivera, a former Hudson County Freeholder and leader in the local Puerto Rican community, died over the weekend.

Rivera, who once headed the Jersey City-based nonprofit Puertorriquenos Asociados for Community Organization (PACO), was 74. People close to him said he died in a hospital in Puerto Rico, where he was living with the long-term effects of a chemical he unintentionally inhaled in 2011.

"This is a devastating loss for PACO and the many people he served in Jersey City and all throughout Hudson County," PACO executive director Julio Garcia said in a statement.

...While he did not have specific details of Rivera's death, (John) Carpena said there was "no question" the wide devastation Puerto Rico sustained from Hurricane Maria played a role in Rivera's death.

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Nothing in the news yet - there was word on Councilman Rivera's Facebook tonight. RIP Eliu.

Eliu Rivera was born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico in the 1940s and migrated to Jersey City, New Jersey with his family during his early teenage years. After graduating from high school, he spent time working for the Post Office and in the ports around New York Harbor. During the Longshoremen's strike, Mr. Rivera was introduced to a number of community activists in Jersey City, where they discussed the need for an organization devoted to serving the needs of the Latino community. After conducting a survey of Jersey City residents to identify the greatest areas of need, the organization P.A.C.O. (Puertorrique?os Asociados for Community Organization, Inc.) was founded, with its initial areas of concern being the need for affordable housing and bilingual services for the community. Since its founding in 1970, P.A.C.O. has branched out into many other community services. Mr. Rivera has served the community through P.A.C.O. since 1970 and is currently its Executive Director. He has also served the community politically as Deputy Mayor of Jersey City and Chairman of the Hudson County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Prepared by Elizabeth Parker, Associate Archivist.