- Archives

In a political tempest not seen before in Puerto Rico, the losing candidate in a contentious gubernatorial race that drew protests from here to San Juan now may take a seat in the island's Senate without ever being elected. Pedro Rossell could gain a seat after a senator from the northwestern senatorial district abruptly resigned on Tuesday - 48 hours after he was sworn in. Rossell is from the same pro-statehood party and lives in the same district as the outgoing senator. The move could put Rossell in line to ultimately replace Kenneth McClintock as Senate president. It has drawn criticism from some in Western Massachusetts even as Rossell supporters cheer it at home. "It is immoral," said Gloria Bernabe-Ramos, associate director of Latin American Studies at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. "People's votes should mean something. The people of Arecibo did not vote for him." Rossell, a former two-term governor in the 1990s and president of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, remains hugely popular despite having headed the most corrupt administration in the island's history. With nearly 2 million votes cast in the governor's race, Rossell garnered 959,737. The winner, pro-commonwealth Gov. Anbal Acevedo won by just under 4,000 votes, or 963,303, according to the recount. [more]