By The Star Staff
House Speaker Rafael “Tatito” Hernández Montañez said Sunday that the House is holding an event at the Capitol today to celebrate the 70th birthday of the commonwealth.
The activity, which is not an official event of the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party, comes at a time when the U.S. House of Representatives is evaluating legislation for a status plebiscite that does not include the commonwealth status. A Republican senator, meanwhile, introduced legislation last week for a status plebiscite that does include the commonwealth as an option and calls for a study on the implications of Puerto Rico statehood.
The commonwealth celebration is slated for 3:30 p.m. on the south side of the Capitol.
On Sunday, as part of activities to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Hernández Montañez welcomed distinguished members of the Forum of Presidents of the Legislative Powers of Central America, the Caribbean Basin and Mexico (FOPREL) to sign agreements, one of which seeks to create a FOPREL sub-office in Puerto Rico, and another to create the International Institute for Legislative Studies (IIEL-FOPREL) in the Capitol District in San Juan.
Officials also signed an agreement and exchanged experiences and ideas in the areas of legislative function with the National Congress of the Republic of Honduras. The agreement includes, in particular, experiences in the areas of organization and administration, as well as the use of new technologies for institutional development and, in particular, the development of information technologies and the exchange and training of experts and administrative personnel.
“I thank the members of FOPREL for having accepted our invitation to continue joining ties of brotherhood with the countries they represent,” Hernández Montañez said. “Our goal has always been to maintain an inclusive and democratic agenda.”
FROPEL will have headquarters in Puerto Rico located on the third floor of the Luis A. Ferré Building in the Capitol district.
Among the special guests on Sunday were Alfredo Pacheco, who is the president of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic; Luis Rolando Redondo, president of the National Congress of Honduras; and Karla Yuritzi Almazán, vice president of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico, along with deputies from Guatemala, Costa Rica, Belize, Nicaragua and El Salvador, and representatives from the mainland United States.
Redondo said he was pleased with the reception on Puerto Rican soil and the collaborative agreement signed with the speaker of the island House of Representatives.
“As Hondurans, we are pleased to attend this celebration of the Puerto Rican Constitution on its 70th anniversary,” Redondo said. “The signing of this agreement will be the beginning of a brotherly relationship that will enrich our cultural, social and knowledge exchanges between both countries for the betterment of both peoples.”