Puerto Rico Gets A New Governor, But Nobody Wants Her

It’s been only two weeks since the people of Puerto Rico took to the streets and forced former governor Ricardo Rosselló to resign, in a moment of great historical importance for the island. However, things didn’t settle down on the island until today (maybe) because the question of who would succeed Rosselló as governor was still in the air.

As soon as Rosselló announced he was stepping down on July 24th, the name Wanda Vázquez started making the rounds as the likeliest successor. She was Puerto Rico’s Justice Secretary and an important member of Rosselló’s inner circle. So, for this same reason, most people were not happy with the idea, and the hashtag #WandaRenuncia started trending almost immediately. Vázquez herself was very vocal as well about not wanting the job, so for a couple days, it seemed pretty unlikely that would end up as governor.

Then, in an unexpected turn of events, Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico’s new Secretary of State, appointed by Rosselló after the old Secretary resigned as a result of the leaked messages, was announced as the new governor. He was sworn in on Friday, August 2nd, right after Rosselló stepped down officially, but most people were not happy about this decision either, with some calling it a coup even.

@mariatcondeNobody elected Pierluisi, so the only reason he was suddenly the new governor was because the Constitution says that, when the position of governor is vacant, the Secretary of State can take on the role. However, this week, the island’s Supreme Court found that the move unconstitutional because Pierluisi hadn’t been confirmed as Secretary of State by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

This new development in the saga of Puerto Rico’s governorship led to Wanda Vázquez’s swearing in on Wednesday, August 7th. In an official declaration published on Twitter, Vázquez stated that “Puerto Rico needs certainty and stability,” and that she is glad to comply with the Constitution and the order of succession for the role of governor.

Some certainty and stability would definitely sound good after the weeks of upheaval that the island has experienced. However, it seems that the people of Puerto Rico would rather take the instability for a little longer, if it means that they will get a leader who actually represents them and will do a better job, not someone who will so clearly follow in the ousted governor’s footsteps.

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