He graduated from Academia del Perpetuo Socorro, earned a bachelor degree from Harvard College, and obtained a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School.

[3] Hernández Rivera was formerly assistant secretary of federal and international affairs for the Popular Democratic Party.

[7] In January 2025, Pablo José Hernández Rivera announced his candidacy for the presidency of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) following the resignation of Jesús Manuel Ortiz.

[8] He has advocated for redefining the country's status as a "commonwealth" for greater self-governance, federal parity, and a more clear division of powers with the U.S.

He agrees with his grandfather, former governor Rafael Hernández Colón, in viewing Puerto Rico as both a homeland and a nation and also rejecting its classification as a colony.