Women are in the majority in Puerto Rico’s new Senate

For the first time in history women hold 14 of the 27 places in The Senate of Puerto Rico, the majority in this legislative chamber whose body was sworn in today, Saturday, thus constituting the XIX Legislative Assembly.

Secretary of the Senate, Manuel Torres, highlighted this morning’s milestone during the swearing-in of five new lawmakers: Popular People’s Party (PPD), The new progressive party (PNP), Puerto Rico Independence Party (PIP), The Citizen Victory Movement (MVC) and The Dignity Project (PD).

“Your challenge is monumental,” Torres said. “My request is to keep this commitment until the last day in the Body.”

The new senators are:

– Maria de Lourdes Santiago, PIP

– Joanne Rodríguez Veve, PD

– Ana Irma Rivera Lassén, MVC

– Keren Riquelme, PNP

– Elizabeth Rosa Velez, PPD

– Ada García Montes, PPD

– Migdalia González, PPD

– Marially González, PPD

– Gretchen Hau, PPD

– Wanda Soto, PNP

– Rosamar Trujillo Plumer, PPD

– Marissa Jiménez, PNP

– Nitza Morán, PNP

– Migdalia Padilla Alvelo, PNP

However, Trujillo Plumey could not be sworn in this morning due to a delay in providing his financial report, his spokesman Daphne Flores explained.

The new Senate consists of 12 senators from PPD, 10 from PNP, one (1) senator from PIP, one (1) senator from PD, one independent senator and two (2) senators from MVC.