The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico issued a resolution tonight declaring the candidate’s petition by direct appointment to the mayor of Guánica, Edgardo Cruz Vélez, for the highest court to exercise jurisdiction over the contesting of the municipal elections.
According to the resolution, the petition for intra-jurisdictional certification led to the fact that the Supreme Court was divided equally with 4 votes in favor and 4 against, reason for which no.
Associate Judge Martínez Torres issued a statement in which he agreed with the Court’s ruling and stated that “the Supreme Court cannot become the court of first instance, at the whim of the parties.”
“First of all, the main forum is fully capable of resolving this appeal with the urgency it deserves. This was the case in each of the controversies dealt with by the Court of First Instance during this election cycle. this case will be different. Second, the appeal before our examination is at an early stage in the process. We must therefore allow the main forum to continue the procedure and participate in the appropriate evidence, “the opinion reads.
On the other hand, Associate Judge Estrella Martínez issued a special statement stating that she considered that “the resource in question must be certified in the light of the democratic urgency experienced by the municipality of Guánica. unnecessarily delaying the implementation of the will of the Guánica electorate. “
The electoral and legal team of Ismael ‘Titi’ Rodríguez, who had already been appointed mayor, expects to go to court to challenge the trial that led to Cruz Vélez’s advantage.
This Friday, the EEC gave 27 votes to the candidate by direct nomination, which gives them the leadership in the race for mayor of Guánica.
The decision of the Supreme Court would mean that the contestation of the elections will continue in the Court of First Instance.