Recently elected freshman senator Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz will head the Popular Democratic Party minority in the Senate, while Héctor Ferrer Santiago will take on the role of the party’s minority leader in the House of Representatives.
By THE STAR STAFF
On Thursday, Jesús Manuel Ortiz González, President of the Popular Democratic Party (PDP), revealed that the party’s minority leaders for the upcoming Legislative Assembly will be Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz in the Senate and Héctor Ferrer Santiago in the House of Representatives.
Marially González Huertas will take on the role of alternate minority leader in the upper chamber, while Domingo Torres García will assume that position in the House.
Ortiz highlighted that the PDP representatives in the Legislature will promptly start working on propositions aimed at ending the LUMA contract and reforming the agencies involved in corruption investigations.
“Last Tuesday, the electorate chose the individuals who will constitute the new government of Puerto Rico,” Ortiz stated during a press conference. “The PDP remains the second strongest political force in the nation, and it is our responsibility to select those who will lead the respective legislative groups. […] The appointed minority leaders were nominated and elected by their respective groups, which have my full support and esteem, and I have confidence that from their positions, they will monitor the NPP administration and advance legislation to enhance the quality of life for Puerto Ricans.”
Ortiz further commented that “[t]here are two crucial issues that we as a party advocated during the recent elections. The first was to terminate the LUMA contract, and [the second was] to reform the system for investigating and prosecuting corruption.”
“In the initial weeks of the upcoming Legislative Assembly, our group will introduce legislation to initiate the process that will culminate in the termination of the LUMA contract,” the PDP leader remarked. “As previously stated, our nation requires a dependable electrical system, and as a minority, we will strive for this. Moreover, we will persist in our endeavors to restructure the agencies tasked with identifying, investigating, and prosecuting corruption cases. These agencies must be more efficient and expedient in handling these matters, as the populace is weary of the impunity that exists within state agencies regarding corruption cases.”
Ortiz asserted that the PDP continues “to be the party that will advocate for the enhancement of our people’s quality of life, and we will fight from the Legislature to ensure that municipalities receive the funding necessary for essential services.”
“Additionally, we will continuously oversee the NPP administration to ensure that they do not solely concentrate on promoting and advocating for statehood but also attend to the common welfare of Puerto Ricans,” he emphasized.
Ortiz also announced that he will convene the PDP governing board in December to address significant post-election topics.
Ortiz declares he will continue as party president until 2026
In the same press conference, Ortiz mentioned that currently, he plans to remain as the leader of the PDP until his term concludes in two years.
“The fact is, the regulations indicate that I will serve as president of the party until 2026,” he stated. “Therefore, any decision I make will be my own.”
“We are directing our efforts as we approach a new four-year term starting in January, and we have a significant role to fulfill,” Ortiz added. “Thus, all those inquiries will be addressed in due course; there is no rush.”
Last week, Ortiz finished third in the gubernatorial race, marking the first time a PDP candidate has achieved this position.
The newly elected resident commissioner, Pablo José Hernández Rivera, stated that he is not interested in leading the PDP, although he expressed that he would give Ortiz the space to shape his own future as the party leader.
