Puerto Rico Gets a New Governor . . . Again

In July, btw brought you the story of Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello’s resignation. Since then, the island has endured political upheaval as one person after another was deemed unfit to replace him. Last week, however, a hopefully-permanent replacement was announced: Wanda Vazquez Garced, Puerto Rico’s former Justice Secretary. Here, we take a closer look at the complicated transition, as well as what this new leadership could mean for the island’s future.

What Happened to Rossello?

Former Governor Ricardo Rossello was recently indicted in a scandal that involved nearly 900 pages of texts that he had exchanged with his top officials. These texts were offensive in language and content–taking aim at women, LGBTQ people, political rivals, and even people who died two years ago in Hurricane Maria. Once the texts were leaked, there were widespread political protests and calls for Rossello to resign. Even before the scandal broke, Rossello was unpopular: people blamed him for Puerto Rico’s ongoing economic troubles and for mishandling the recovery effort after Hurricane Maria. Rossello was also accused of funneling millions of tax dollars to firms with which he had personal connections. As a result, Rossello resigned at the end of July, with an effective date of August 2.

A Complicated Succession

The person in line to replace Rossello was Puerto Rico Secretary of State Luis Rivera Marin. But Marin was also discovered to be involved in the same texting scandal as Rossello. So just before he resigned, Rossello appointed Pedro Pierluisi as secretary of state. This nomination was approved by Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives, but not by their Senate. So just five days after Pierluisi was sworn in, Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that his swearing-in was unconstitutional, and he was removed from office.

Next on the list was Wanda Vazquez, who was currently serving as justice secretary. Last month, Vazquez made it clear that she had no interest in the job and had hoped that Rossello would be able to successfully appoint someone else before his resignation. However, last week she issued a public statement indicating that she would do as the Supreme Court ordered and as the Constitution required, and accept her position.

The new governor is already facing harsh criticism and calls to resign from people who are upset about her ties to former governor Ricardo Rossello. They believe that because she worked so closely with him, she is also implicated in his mistakes and mismanagement. But Vazquez has urged those who are skeptical to give her a chance to govern before they make any decisions about her one way or the other.

What Happens Next?

The most critical issue facing Puerto Rico right now is re-establishing stability and order after months of political chaos and protests. According to Governor Vazquez, the people of Puerto Rico want peace, security, and a government that is willing and able to move forward. Vazquez has reassured the public that she will not resign, and will hold her post until it expires in 2020. However, she said she does not intend to run for re-election in 2020 and is currently planning to retire after her time as governor is completed.

Dig Deeper In 2017, Vazquez was associated with a scandal involving the mishandling of cargo containers of relief aid for those affected by Hurricane Maria. Use Internet resources to learn more about this. Write a paragraph about what you find.