Puerto Rico’s Next Governor Hasn’t Been Sworn In and She’s Already Under Investigation

(Bloomberg) -- On her first day as bankrupt Puerto Rico’s governor-in-waiting, Secretary of Justice Wanda Vazquez was immediately embroiled in an investigation when the island’s Office of Government Ethics announced a review of her conduct as the commonwealth’s chief law-enforcement officer.

Zulma Rosario, executive director of Puerto Rico’s Office of Government Ethics, directed her staff Thursday to look into accusations that Vazquez ignored evidence of possible corruption in the provision of hurricane relief. It is a probe into probes -- or the lack thereof -- and reflects the island’s bitter and personal politics.

“What we’re investigating is her alleged denial or refusal to investigate these claims as secretary of justice,” Rosario said in an interview Thursday. She didn’t know how long the effort, first reported by El Nuevo Dia, might take.

Mariana Cobian, spokeswoman for Vazquez, declined to comment.

On San Juan’s streets Thursday, Puerto Ricans were celebrating after Governor Ricardo Rossello said late the night before that he would leave on Aug. 2 after weeks of massive protests. Residents demanded his resignation after the publication of leaked profanity-laced chats in which the governor and his officials made fun of ordinary Puerto Ricans and political rivals.

Vazquez, a 59-year-old member of Rossello’s New Progressive Party, is next in the line of succession. That’s because Puerto Rico doesn’t have a secretary of state after Luis Rivera Marin resigned because of his participation in the chats. It’s unclear whether Rossello will nominate a secretary of state before Aug. 2.

Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez, who represents the commonwealth in Washington, said in a statement that “the new governor can count on all of my support, experiences and resources.” House Speaker Carlos “Johnny” Mendez said he planned to meet with Vazquez on Thursday to ensure an orderly transition.

But Vazquez was buffeted even before taking office.

Critics in the legislature have said Vazquez didn’t fully investigate the possible diversion of aid-supply trucks meant for victims of Hurricane Maria. A charity linked to first lady Beatriz Rossello was supposed to be distributing the aid. Another issue involves potential influence peddling in a medical cannabis regulatory body that they say Vazquez failed to investigate.

Protesters have demanded a fresh start from compromised politicians whose ineffective leadership failed to end a more than decade-long recession that pushed the commonwealth into bankruptcy in 2017. Their pressure created a leadership void as officials fled Rossello’s administration after the chat scandal and the indictment this month of two former colleague on charges of steering contracts to favored companies.

This isn’t the first time that Vazquez has come under scrutiny. She overcame a 2018 ethics investigation over whether she improperly intervened in a case involving a robbery at her daughter and son-in-law’s home. She temporarily stepped down, only to be restored after a court found there was no cause for her arrest.

On Thursday, protesters joined by the singers Residente and Bad Bunny carried signs calling for Rossello to be put in prison and for Vazquez to resign. In the colonial zone, demonstrators who a night before celebrated Rossello’s resignation left ominous graffiti messages for the incoming governor, like “Wanda, we’re coming for you.”

--With assistance from Ezra Fieser and Michael Deibert.

To contact the reporters on this story: Michelle Kaske in New York at mkaske@bloomberg.net;Amanda Albright in New York at aalbright4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Elizabeth Campbell at ecampbell14@bloomberg.net, Stephen Merelman

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