Justice Dept. finds no probable cause against Cataño mayor

Cataño Mayor Julio Alicea Vasallo

By The Star Staff

The island Justice Department has concluded Monday that there is no basis to prosecute Cataño Mayor Julio Alicea Vasallo following a thorough investigation into allegations regarding the use of municipal employees during the 2024 election.

The official determination, signed by the designated Justice Secretary Janet Parra Mercado, confirms that there were no violations of the Penal Code or the Electoral Code, and no misuse of public funds.

This investigation was initiated after a political complaint was filed by Kimberlee Torres Reyes, the daughter of the defeated Popular Democratic Party candidate for mayor of Cataño, with the State Election Commission. It was conducted by the Division of Public Integrity and Comptroller’s Affairs (DIPAC). After reviewing all the evidence presented, the Justice Department decisively ruled out the need to appoint an independent special prosecutor, affirming that the mayor did not engage in any illegal conduct.

“This complaint was a fabrication and a blatant attempt to tarnish our work during the election season,” Alicea Vasallo said in a written statement. “We have always maintained that it was frivolous and baseless. Today, the law agrees with us and reaffirms that Cataño is governed with integrity, transparency, and a strict adherence to public ethics. We reaffirm that in Cataño, municipal employees were NOT used during working hours to transport senior citizens to the post office to collect their ballots; NO official vehicles were used to transport these voters; NOR were any citizens given money to vote for the NPP [New Progressive Party]. All allegations that caused such public outcry were false.”

“It is important to highlight that this complaint received extensive media coverage during the electoral campaign, aiming to discredit an administration that has demonstrated results,” the mayor stressed. “The Department of Justice’s ruling completely dismantles that attempt.”