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After Pablo José Hernández Rivera’s success in securing the role of resident commissioner, former Ponce Mayor Francisco “Ico” Zayas Seijo expressed on Thursday that the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) leadership ought to officially recognize him as the new party president.
With 91.35% of polling stations counted, Hernández amassed 472,292 votes, earning a victory with 44.55%. His running mate, Rep. Jesús Manuel Ortiz González, who serves as the current PDP president, finished third in the gubernatorial contest.
“That doesn’t need to be stated,” Zayas Seijo remarked when queried during a radio discussion if Hernández Rivera should take on the presidency of the party. “I believe it’s already a given. I believe it’s already a given.”
Hernández Rivera has indicated that he will concentrate on his responsibilities as resident commissioner and has no aspirations for a future gubernatorial campaign.
Zayas Seijo further emphasized that Rep. Héctor Ferrer Santiago and Villalba Mayor Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz – who secured an at-large position in the island Senate – ought to hold leadership roles within the legislative assemblies.
“The Villalba mayor should serve as the spokesperson for the minority in the Senate, while Héctor Ferrer should be the spokesperson for the minority in the House [of Representatives],” asserted the former mayor.
On the subject of the gubernatorial election outcomes, Zayas Seijo, who held the mayoralty in Ponce from 2005 to 2009, pointed out that a prevailing fear of independence drove many PDP members to cast their votes for New Progressive Party’s gubernatorial candidate, Jenniffer González Colón.
“There exists a fear of independence, and that apprehension influenced their decision to support Jenniffer,” he stated.
