David Andrés Álvarez-Velázquez

David Andres Alvarez-Velazquez (born 17 August 1941) is the second native Puerto Rican to serve as Bishop of the Diocese of Puerto Rico of the Episcopal Church of the United States (ECUSA), succeeding the Right Reverend Francisco Reus-Froylan, the first Puerto Rican to serve as Diocesan Bishop.

After serving as Vicar of Santa Hilda Church in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, and as Bishop Reus Froylan's administrative assistant, Alvarez-Velazquez was made Bishop Reus Froylan's Bishop Coadjutor of Puerto Rico on 20 August 1987 and Bishop of Puerto Rico on 3 December 1989.

During his years of service, he has strengthened the Episcopal Church's role within the island's health services provider sector, expanding the church's hospital holdings from one hospital (St. Luke's in Ponce, which will soon become a hospice and mental health facility) to three (adding a larger St. Luke's II in Ponce, which now has the largest cardiovascular ward in Puerto Rico, and Cristo Redentor Hospital in Guayama). The Episcopal health system will add one more facility when the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station hospital reopens under its management. Under his leadership, the Church ceased to be a separate national church within the world Anglican community and rejoined the Episcopal Church of the United States. He currently serves on the national church's Executive Committee. Under his leadership, the Episcopal Church has improved its communications efforts, including a weekly, islandwide, Sunday morning radio program and an improved full-color monthly magazine. He has served as acting Bishop in Cuba and is increasingly serving as a regional leader in the Anglican community and contributing to the U.S. church's efforts among Hispanic Americans.

In recent years, Episcopalians have had a higher public profile in Puerto Rico. During former Gov. Sila Calderon's term in office, Episcopalians held important government positions in Puerto Rico's three branches of government, including Secretary of State Ferdinand Mercado, Senate Minority Leader Kenneth McClintock, and Courts Administrator Mercedes Bauermeister. During Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila's current term, McClintock, now the Senate President, is the highest Episcopalian in public office.

In October 2007, Bishop Alvarez hosted the visit of the Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, who was honored by McClintock at a Puerto Rico Senate session, attended the Diocese of Puerto Rico's 100th annual Diocesan Assembly and a service commemorating the St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital's centennial.

Several years ago, Bishop Alvarez unsuccessfully attempted to begin an orderly succession with the election of an Auxiliary Bishop, but the Diocesan Assembly did not support such efforts at the time. In 2007, the Diocesan Assembly finally authorized him to begin the search for a Bishop Co-Adjutor who would eventually succeed him. The election is expected to take place in early 2009.