Freshman senator-elect Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz will lead the Popular Democratic Party minority in the upper chamber, and Héctor Ferrer Santiago will be the party’s minority leader in the House of Representatives.
By THE STAR STAFF
Popular Democratic Party (PDP) President Jesús Manuel Ortiz González announced Thursday that the party’s minority leaders in the next Legislative Assembly will be Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz in the Senate, and Héctor Ferrer Santiago in the House of Representatives.
Marially González Huertas will serve as alternate minority leader in the upper chamber, while Domingo Torres García will assme that role in the House.
Ortiz noted that the PDP delegation in the Legislature will immediately begin to work on bills related to the cancellation of the LUMA contract and the reform of the agencies that intervene in corruption cases.
“Last Tuesday, the people voted for the men and women who will form the new government of Puerto Rico,” Ortiz said at a press conference. “The PDP continues to be the second political force in the entire country and it is up to us to select the people who will lead the respective legislative delegations. [...] The respective minority leaders were nominated and chosen by the respective delegations, which have my support and respect and I trust that from their positions, they will oversee the NPP government and promote legislation that will improve the quality of life of Puerto Ricans.”
Ortiz added that “[t]here are two very important aspects that we as a party promoted in the last elections. The first was the cancellation of the LUMA contract and [the second was] the restructuring of the apparatus for investigating and prosecuting corruption cases.”
“During the first weeks of the next Legislative Assembly, our delegation will be presenting legislation to begin the process that will lead to the cancellation of the LUMA contract,” the PDP leader said. “As I have said before, the country needs a reliable electrical system and as a minority we will work for this. In addition, we will continue efforts to restructure the agencies in charge of identifying, investigating and prosecuting corruption cases. These agencies must be more agile and effective in identifying and prosecuting them, as the country is tired of the impunity that exists in state agencies with cases of corruption.”
Ortiz said the PDP continues “to be the party that will promote improving the quality of life of our people and from the Legislature we will fight so that the municipalities receive the resources for essential services.”
“In addition, we will consistently monitor the NPP government so that they do not only focus on promoting and defending statehood but also work for the common good of Puerto Ricans,” he stressed.
Ortiz also announced that in December he will convene the PDP governing board to address important post-election issues.
Ortiz says he’ll stay on as party president until 2026
Ortiz said at the same press conference that for the moment his plan is to remain as head of the PDP until his term expires in two years.
“The truth is that the regulations state that I am president of the party until 2026,” he said. “So, any decision that I am going to make, I will make it.”
“We are directing the work that we have to do in the face of a new four-year term, which begins in January and we have a role to play,” Ortiz added. “So all those questions will be answered in due time; there is no hurry.”
Ortiz finished third in the governor’s race last week, a first for a PDP candidate.
The resident commissioner-elect, Pablo José Hernández Rivera, said he is not interested in presiding over the PDP, although he said he will leave space for Ortiz to determine his own future as party leader.
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