From The Star Staff
On Wednesday, Juan Dalmau Ramírez, the gubernatorial candidate representing the Puerto Rican Independence Party in alliance with the Citizen Victory Movement, requested exemption from the final gubernatorial candidates’ debate sponsored by Telemundo and El Nuevo Día, citing a medical emergency involving his wife, Griselle Morales Rodríguez, who experienced an acute cerebral hemorrhage the previous week.
New Progressive Party candidate Jenniffer González Colón will similarly be absent from the debate.
Dalmau Ramírez reached this decision while remaining focused on the changing health status of his wife. Morales Rodríguez underwent surgery last week aimed at controlling the bleeding caused by an aneurysm. Her condition remains critical as she is being assessed for potential complications that might necessitate further surgical procedures.
The organizers confirmed that the final debate, set for today at 6 p.m., will proceed as planned. The public will have the chance to hear the proposals from the remaining gubernatorial candidates.
González Colón’s campaign officially stated that she will not take part in today’s debate, although she plans to fulfill her campaign obligations at other events on the same day.
“I am truly saddened by the circumstances faced by Ms. Griselle Morales, Mr. Juan Dalmau, their children, and their entire family. As a woman of faith in God, I believe that Ms. Morales will prevail over her health challenges and that with God’s grace she will recover,” González Colón expressed in a written statement on Wednesday. “I completely understand Mr. Dalmau’s necessity to withdraw from the televised debates among the candidates for governor. His choice is entirely reasonable, and we honor it. For my part, I confirm that I will not be attending the debate scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, on Telemundo, Channel 2. I think Channel 11 made the right call when they opted to cancel the debate last Tuesday due to Mr. Dalmau’s forced absence. Family matters are sacred and transcend any political implications. Now is not the time to pursue specific or commercial political interests by hosting a debate in which one of the four participants cannot be present for a significant reason. We are five candidates seeking the governorship as per the ballot. The debate was planned for four candidates, thus offering a debate with only three participants is unjust to the voters. We will proceed with our campaign strategy as planned for the final stretch leading up to the November 5 election.”
The gubernatorial candidate from the Popular Democratic Party (PDP), Jesús Manuel Ortiz González, commented on González Colón’s choice to skip the final debate.
“Jenniffer González’s choice to miss the debate scheduled for tomorrow exemplifies her failure to meet her commitments,” Ortiz stated in a written release. “In contrast to Mr. Dalmau, whose family circumstances we all empathize with and support, Jenniffer lacks justification for denying the public the chance to hear our proposals and assess each candidate’s character.”
“Exploiting Dalmau’s family crisis to evade questions and clarify her frequent shifts in position is a blatant manipulation that will not hinder the change we all seek,” remarked the PDP candidate for La Fortaleza and lawmaker. “Puerto Rico is learning about a candidate who consistently prioritizes her personal and political agendas. She would behave the same way as governor.”
