Méndez, Aponte lead statehood forum with NPP faithful in Luquillo

By The Star Staff

New Progressive Party (NPP) Vice President Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez, along with Rep. José Aponte Hernández, met earlier this week with members of the party in the island’s eastern region with the purpose of continuing to educate about statehood and efforts in Washington, D.C. to achieve it.

“The NPP is the only party in Puerto Rico with a defined, clear and transparent ideological direction: statehood. Other parties change or hide their ideology so that their officials are elected; we do not,” Méndez Nuñez told dozens of NPP supporters in Luquillo. “Here we all know what we want: equal rights with the American citizens of the states, equality that can only be achieved with statehood.”

“Gatherings like this, where grassroots leadership … can come together to hear the truth of statehood, about the efforts that are being made, at the municipal, state and federal levels, are important,” he added. “Our base is involved in this struggle, that of every member of the NPP.”

Among other NPP leaders presenting were Carolina District Sen. Marissa Jiménez Santoni; Julio Menéndez, the NPP president in Luquillo; and Mayra “Charito” Pérez Bulerín, the party president in Río Grande.

Aponte Hernández, who serves as the NPP’s assistant secretary for ideological affairs, noted: “There was a very good turnout, particularly on the part of the youth.”

The Instituto de Misión Estadista (Statehood Mission Institute), a think tank, is an NPP agency focused on promoting statehood throughout Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities.

At the end of January, the institute held a similar gathering in Cayey.