The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico approved this Friday the appointment of Pedro Pierluisi as new governor, after being nominated for office by outgoing governor Ricardo Rosselló.
According to information provided by the local newspaper ‘El Nuevo Día’, Pierluisi has received 26 votes in favor, while 21 have voted against and one has abstained.
Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz said Thursday that the nominee does not have enough support to be confirmed in office. “Pedro Pierluisi does not have the votes of the majority. He does not have them,” he said, although he called a session on Monday for Pierluisi to defend his appointment before the senators.
However, Rivera said that “the lawyer of who has been the number one enemy of Puerto Rico (in reference to the Fiscal Oversight Board), cannot be in command of Puerto Rico.”
Hundreds of thousands of people have demonstrated in recent weeks to demand the resignation of Rosselló and have accused Pierluisi of serving the interests of the said body, and not those of the population.
Rosselló presented his resignation last week after protests over the publication of a series of messages containing comments in which he was asked to persecute opposition politicians and officials.
This waiver will be effective this Friday at 5:00 p.m. (local time). The controversy over who will hold the position has occurred after the island’s secretary of Justice, Wanda Vázquez, Rosselló’s designated successor, resigned from becoming governor.
