Pierluisi justifies organizing an inauguration in the middle of the pandemic: “There will always be someone to criticize”

The elected governor Pedro Pierluisi He defended today, Tuesday, the presence of 400 people at the swearing-in ceremony on January 2, despite the fact that it takes place a few weeks after the worst moment of the COVID-19 pandemic in Puerto Rico.

“I can guarantee the people there that we could not have been more reasonable and prudent in organizing the activity,” Pierluisi said after announcing five new appointments in his office.

“This act is carried out with strict measures. Never seen. No one will step in there who does not have a negative COVID-19 test, an antigen test that is widely available and is not a matter of lack of tests. There is a lot of evidence, “he added with some annoyance.

The number of guests invited to Pierluisi’s inauguration has generated multiple criticisms, as it is a massive event that will take place in the midst of one of the worst moments of the pandemic in Puerto Rico and while an executive order is in force that, among other things, prohibits crowds, visits to the beach (except for individual sports), the sale of alcoholic beverages between the first hours of Saturday and the beginning of the month and that it maintains a total closure on Sunday.

Pierluisi made it clear that he did not pay attention to the criticisms that indicate a double barrier between what is required of the citizen and what politicians do and stressed that his activity is exempt from the executive order.

“There will always be someone to criticize, sometimes it is due to the diversity of opinions, other times it is due to the lack of information, other times it is due to the partisan political agenda. I respect the criticism. But the act of taking over the office of governor is established in our constitution. It is an indispensable formality in a democracy like the one we live in Puerto Rico. And that act is carried out with strict measures, never seen before“When we talk about 400 (guests), it’s because obviously nothing more than counting mayors, lawmakers and their partners, you’re already approaching the number of 300 people,” he added.

In addition, he argued that the number of guests is not considered high.

“Not when the rule is that 3,000 people participate in this type of activity. I think the numbers speak for themselves, he pointed out in the questions in El Nuevo Día.

Rather, he said he was behaving “like a good parent, celebrating activity and urging people” to attend to it through the media.

A formal event, similar to the one Pierluisi will celebrate, took place at the White House when President Donald Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett as a candidate to fill the vacancy in the federal Supreme Court that remained after the death of Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg . Less than 400 people participated in that activity and a few days later, more than 20 were infected with COVID-19, including Trump himself.

The Department of Health today reported four new deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths associated with the virus since the beginning of the pandemic to 1,460, while another 947 confirmed positive cases, 260 probable positive cases and 694 were recorded. . positive suspicious cases.

Zero defeat

On the other hand, Pierluisi denied that he would have suffered an obstacle after that a bill that would have allowed him to name Nino Correa as property was not approved in the special session to remain in charge of the Office for Emergency Management and Disaster Management (NMEAD).

The legislation, commissioned by Pierluisi to participate in the new progressive majority, was not approved and sought to amend the law that gave life to the Department of Public Safety, so that the NMEAD commissioner would not be required to hold a master’s degree. Correa does not have this requirement.

“It can’t be the other way around, because we haven’t started. We started on January 2, “Pierluisi said.

Asked why it should not be considered an obstacle if the legislative majority is made up of lawmakers from the New Progressive Party he chairs, Pierluisi said he would not go “inside the legislative process.”

“Again, we need to focus on January 2. I will have a new Legislative Assembly. The presidents of the bodies are leaders of the Democratic People’s Party and not of my party. It is known and I have expressed that I will be in the best spirit to cooperate, reconcile and make a common front with the new leadership of the Legislative Assembly for the good of Puerto Rico “, he stated.

In addition, he anticipated that he would leave Correa in office even if he did not comply with all the requirements established by law.

“Nino Correa remains with or without a title, he is going to be in that agency,” Pierluisi said.

Asked about the sudden resignation of the executive director of the Highways and Transports Authority (ACT), Rosana Aguila, the elected governor revealed that, after the criticism the official received during the transition hearings, he decided to submit his effective resignation on 31st of December .

“It is known that she was criticized in the transition process because of the federal funds available to improve the ticket offices of Tren Urbano stations and Tren Urbano stations themselves and possibly caused discomfort and decided to return to the private sector.” , said Pierluisi.

He reiterated that, together with the representative of the Department of Transport and Public Works, Eileen Vélez, he will choose a new person to lead ACT.