Jesus T. Piñero was born into a wealthy family in Carolina, PR that owned large sugarcane plantations. Between 1934 and 1937, he was the president of the Association of the Sugar Cane Industry. 

On September 2, 1946, Piñero became the first and only native Puerto Rican to be appointed as governor of Puerto Rico, by the government of the US.

Piñero was a member of the Partido Popular Democratico (PPD), which was dominated and controlled by Luis Muñoz Marín.

He served as governor until January 2, 1949, and is best known for signing Public Law 53, aka La Ley de la Mordaza (the Law of the Muzzle), which outlawed the singing of La Borinqueña, the ownership of a Puerto Rican flag, or saying anything in favor of Puerto Rican independence.

After signing the law on June 10, 1948, Piñero immediately boarded a plane and took a short vacation to Florida.