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On Thursday, 26 senators and 53 representatives took their oath of office, marking the establishment of Puerto Rico’s 20th Legislative Assembly.
Yet, four minority and write-in officials, including activist Eliezer Molina Pérez, faced an impediment to being sworn in as they were still awaiting certification from the State Elections Commission (SEC). Molina Pérez remarked that these occurrences highlight the necessity of an independent governor in Puerto Rico. Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz elaborated on the barriers preventing Molina Pérez’s swearing-in, citing the absence of SEC certification.
“He [Molina Pérez] is required to undergo a doping test that the Commission does not conduct,” Rivera Schatz remarked. “The State Elections Commission instructs him to visit the laboratory, which then directly submits the results to the Commission.”
Molina Pérez secured over 71,000 votes and is set to take the number 11 position in the Senate, displacing incumbent candidate Keren Riquelme Cabrera.
“Furthermore, there is a legal challenge regarding his seat,” Rivera Schatz noted. “Keren Riquelme and Leyda Cruz have filed a claim, and we will observe the developments. The NPP [New Progressive Party Electoral] commissioner [Aníbal Vega Borges] mentioned intentions to file a court challenge. I’m unsure if this has transpired, but it is known that Senator Keren Riquelme will pursue the challenge.”
Rivera Schatz emphasized that the Electoral Law and the Political Code specify that only candidates certified by the SEC are eligible for oath-taking.
Within the Senate chamber, two seats were vacant, allocated to at-large senators Molina Pérez and Adrián González Costa, who is an incoming senator from the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) and gained his position in the upper chamber through the Minority Law.
In the House of Representatives, Nelie Lebrón Robles, an elected at-large representative from the PIP, and Adriana Gutiérrez Colón, also affiliated with the PIP, were likewise not sworn in.
However, González Costa was permitted entry to the chamber as a guest of PIP Sen. María de Lourdes Santiago Negrón, as noted by the incoming legislator.
The SEC announced that as soon as Molina Pérez and the other minority legislators gain certification, they will officially be sworn in.
Rivera Schatz revealed plans to introduce 100 bills covering various sectors, primarily aimed at bolstering Puerto Rico’s social and economic growth.
“These initiatives mark the start of a process aiming to effectively and sustainably enhance the lives of our citizens,” Rivera Schatz stated. “They are responses to our community’s needs. The welfare of our people is this Senate’s priority, and we will cooperate closely with the community to ensure equitable benefits for all sectors.”
During the swearing-in ceremony in the lower chamber, House Speaker Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez declared that the new House of Representatives will prioritize urgently tackling the energy crisis, lightening the tax load on residents as well as small and medium enterprises on the island, and reforming the permit system, among other initiatives that significantly influence the populace.
“We will maintain a direct and ongoing dialogue with minority parties, as many of these legislative proposals can secure approval alongside other parties,” Méndez commented. “We are committed to collaborating for the Puerto Rico we all aspire to.”
