PUERTO RICOH, NO!
Puerto Ricans on Thursday celebrated the impending resignation of scandal-ridden Gov. Ricardo Rosselló — but their cheers soon turned to boos when they realized who would succeed him.
Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez, who is next in line for Puerto Rico’s highest office — and has been plagued by controversy herself — is expected to take office when Rosselló steps down Aug. 2.
“Wanda, we don’t want you either,” read a sign from one demonstrator.
Another tweeted, “Wanda Vasquez will be the 2nd Female Governor of Puerto Rico, she is just as corrupt as the current governor!” as the hashtag #WandaRenuncia — or “Wanda Resign” — began trending.
Rosselló was forced to step down under mounting outcry over the homophobic and misogynistic text messages he exchanged with top staffers. The outrageous texts targeted everyone from political foes to former New York City Council speaker and island native Melissa Mark-Viverito to gay pop singer Ricky Martin — and even disparaged Hurricane Maria victims.
Vasquez had been accused of dragging her feet on subpoenaing the cellphones of Rosselló and his involved aides.
She also has been a lightning rod for controversy over her alleged reluctance to confront other problems in Rosselló’s administration during her tenure as the territory’s top law-enforcement official.
The blog En Blanco Y Negro reported Wednesday that Vázquez refused to investigate a scandal involving Hurricane Maria donations of food and medicine found spoiled and abandoned in a trailer a year after the devastating storm.
In a statement Thursday, Vázquez proclaimed her innocence and called the allegations “vicious attacks” that are “false and defamatory.”
In 2018, Vasquez also was accused of using her position to meddle in the investigation of a theft at the home of her daughter and son-in-law. The incident led to her becoming the first justice secretary to face criminal charges, according to local paper El Nuevo Dia. A judge eventually cleared her of ethical violations, and she was reinstated to her post by Rosselló.
Vázquez is next in line because of the recent resignation of Secretary of State Luis Rivera Marín amid the so-called “chatgate’’ scandal.