[7] Francisco Hernandez graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Arts in politics and a Master of Entrepreneurship.

[9] In the 2013 local elections, he unsuccessfully ran for a councillor position at Dunedin City Council[10][11] and, subsequently, for head of the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations (NZUSA).

[5] He served as chief climate change advisor for the Otago Regional Council before entering parliament.

[5] Hernandez was announced as the Green Party's Dunedin candidate for the 2023 general election on 3 February 2023.

[17] Following his entry to Parliament, Hernandez was appointed to the petitions select committee as the Green member and designated as the party spokesperson for Public Services, Tertiary Education and Emergency Management and Recovery.