Rivera Schatz rebukes NPP convention planning
Warns against ‘arrogance’ and premature celebrations
By THE STAR STAFF
Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz publicly criticized the organization of the New Progressive Party’s (NPP) upcoming convention, faulting party leaders for delays in key internal processes and arguing that governing the island should take precedence over political celebrations.
In a social media post Tuesday, Rivera Schatz, who also serves as the party’s vice president, questioned the lack of a formal call for internal party procedures related to the ratification of officers and the opening of candidacies for certain positions. He said party members had only received notice to reserve the dates of the convention, which is scheduled for Dec. 4-6.
“Sluggishness and arrogance are not virtues anywhere,” Rivera Schatz wrote, invoking the legacy of NPP founder Luis A. Ferré and his belief that “the humble should come first.”
The veteran political leader also pushed back against recent remarks by NPP Secretary General Jorge Santini Padilla regarding plans to hold the party’s General Assembly separately from the convention. Rivera Schatz argued that party officials should focus first on delivering results in government and fulfilling commitments made to Puerto Rico voters before turning their attention to celebratory events.
“It is our responsibility to provide good government first, continue delivering for Puerto Rico and perhaps have the ‘parranda’ afterward,” he said, using the Puerto Rican term for festive gatherings.
Santini announced Tuesday that the NPP convention will take place across several municipalities in western Puerto Rico and will include both political activities and social events. He also said the party’s General Assembly would be convened at a later date, once the party’s reorganization efforts are completed.
The dispute comes amid ongoing public differences between Rivera Schatz and Gov. Jenniffer González Colón, who serves as president of the NPP. While neither leader has publicly suggested a formal rupture within the party, their disagreements have increasingly spilled into public view as the governing party prepares for its annual gathering.
The convention is expected to bring together party activists, elected officials and supporters from across the island at a time when the NPP remains focused on implementing its governing agenda while also managing internal organizational matters.
Rivera Schatz’s comments underscore tensions over party operations and leadership priorities, highlighting a debate within the NPP over whether attention should be directed toward internal political events or the challenges facing Puerto Rico’s government and residents.
