By The Star Staff
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia said Saturday that he prefers all elected leaders of the New Progressive Party (NPP) to seek reelection to their positions in the 2024 elections.
“Basically, my position is that I want all the incumbents of the New Progressive Party to repeat in their positions for the good of Puerto Rico, for the sake of the stability and credibility that that entails,” the governor said to questions from the press. “That includes everyone. That includes, yes it includes me, and it includes the resident commissioner. It includes all the mayors, as well as the legislators we have, but I aspire to more because I want the NPP to elect more legislators to regain control of the Legislative Assembly. And, meanwhile, I want us to have more mayors… We must have more mayors than the 37 we currently have and I am focused on that.”
The governor insisted, however, that if there is a primary for the NPP gubernatorial candidacy with Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón, he will prevail.
“Well, I’m going to beat anyone, no matter who it is in primaries, and without a primary election I’m going to beat anyone, based on the work that my administration has carried out,” Pierluisi said. “I have no doubt because that work is going to speak louder than any promise, it is going to speak louder than any speech or message. I am more than prepared; as I said here, I am dedicated to my people and yes, I will say it, also delivered to the mayors of all of Puerto Rico.”
Regarding González Colón’s criticism of several agency chiefs, Pierluisi said “I’m not going to judge people.”
“It is not for me to judge others,” he said. “I speak what I have to say so that the record is clear.”
The governor’s statements were made in an aside with the press at the end of his participation in the NPP Mayors Summit in Guayanilla.