Despite previous comments declaring that that she would assume the "historic mandate," Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez, who was expected to replace the deposed governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló, has promptly said she does not want the job, reportedly due to the governor position is overwhelmed by crisis.
Me reitero, no tengo interés en ocupar el puesto de Gobernadora. Es un dictamen Constitucional. Espero que el señor Gobernador identifique y someta un candidato para el puesto de Secretario/a de Estado antes del 2 de agosto y así se lo he manifestado.
— Lcda Wanda Vázquez Garced (@wandavazquezg) July 28, 2019
According to the constitution of Puerto Rico, Secretary of State Luis Rivera Marin was originally poised to replace Rosselló. However, Marin himself resigned after being involved in the scandal which brought down outgoing Governor Rosselló earlier in July.
Weeks of fury and protest after the unveiling by Puerto Rico's Center for Investigative Journalism of hundreds of secret online chats between Rosselló and other government officials using homophobic, misogynistic language, as well mocking the victims of Hurricane Maria which killed 1000s of Puerto Ricans in 2017.
The scandal triggered protests after years of complaints of corruption and poverty.
The outgoing governor announced that he will resign on 2 August in a video message on Wednesday.
He told the people that he had accepted their demands with "the highest degree of humility."
"I wish peace and progress for our people. Transformation and progress are not the work of just one person; it's the product of the work of the people," he added.
A successor to the governor now has to be chosen. If another secretary of state cannot be approved, then either Secretary of Treasury Francisco Parés or Secretary of Education Eligio Hernández will inherit the position.
