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| Who Is Wanda Vázquez, Puerto Rico’s New Governor? | Who Is Wanda Vázquez, Puerto Rico’s New Governor? |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| This article was updated on Aug. 7. | |
| SAN JUAN, P.R. — Amid weeks of political turmoil in Puerto Rico, Wanda Vázquez became the island’s third governor in five days on Wednesday, although it is unclear how long she will remain in the job. | |
| She took the oath of office after the Puerto Rico Supreme Court ruled that Pedro R. Pierluisi had been sworn in as governor unconstitutionally on Friday. He was replacing Ricardo A. Rosselló, who resigned after public protests prompted by the leak of private messages in which he and his aides insulted politicians and everyday Puerto Ricans. | She took the oath of office after the Puerto Rico Supreme Court ruled that Pedro R. Pierluisi had been sworn in as governor unconstitutionally on Friday. He was replacing Ricardo A. Rosselló, who resigned after public protests prompted by the leak of private messages in which he and his aides insulted politicians and everyday Puerto Ricans. |
| Ms. Vázquez had said she was not interested in becoming governor, and some have suggested that she may soon ask the Legislative Assembly to confirm a new secretary of state — and then hand the governorship over to that person. One possible candidate is Jenniffer González-Colón, Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner in Congress. | Ms. Vázquez had said she was not interested in becoming governor, and some have suggested that she may soon ask the Legislative Assembly to confirm a new secretary of state — and then hand the governorship over to that person. One possible candidate is Jenniffer González-Colón, Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner in Congress. |
| But for now, Ms. Vázquez is in charge. | But for now, Ms. Vázquez is in charge. |
| Ms. Vázquez had been the island’s secretary of justice, the equivalent of a state attorney general, since January 2017. She is a member of the New Progressive Party, like Mr. Rosselló, who appointed her. She worked as an attorney specializing in domestic and sexual violence before her appointment to the top post at the commonwealth’s Department of Justice. She was appointed to lead the office of women’s affairs in 2010. | Ms. Vázquez had been the island’s secretary of justice, the equivalent of a state attorney general, since January 2017. She is a member of the New Progressive Party, like Mr. Rosselló, who appointed her. She worked as an attorney specializing in domestic and sexual violence before her appointment to the top post at the commonwealth’s Department of Justice. She was appointed to lead the office of women’s affairs in 2010. |
| Some women’s groups opposed Ms. Vázquez during her seven years as the head of the island’s women’s affairs office. (It was supposed to be a 10-year term, but she left early to become secretary of justice.) | Some women’s groups opposed Ms. Vázquez during her seven years as the head of the island’s women’s affairs office. (It was supposed to be a 10-year term, but she left early to become secretary of justice.) |
| “A lot of feminist groups were very critical of Wanda Vázquez,” said Saadi Rosado of the Feminist Collective, an advocacy group. “She failed to address gender violence issues and was another piece of government bureaucracy.” | “A lot of feminist groups were very critical of Wanda Vázquez,” said Saadi Rosado of the Feminist Collective, an advocacy group. “She failed to address gender violence issues and was another piece of government bureaucracy.” |
| Women’s groups had been fighting Mr. Rosselló’s administration — at one point conducting a sit-in outside his office — demanding that he declare a state of emergency because of a rise in gender-based violence. | Women’s groups had been fighting Mr. Rosselló’s administration — at one point conducting a sit-in outside his office — demanding that he declare a state of emergency because of a rise in gender-based violence. |
| “She has not even spoken out about this state of emergency that we have been asking for a year,” Ms. Rosado said. | “She has not even spoken out about this state of emergency that we have been asking for a year,” Ms. Rosado said. |
| Her relationship with the legislative branch is fraught, to say the least. Her time as secretary of justice has been punctuated by criticism that she has dragged her feet on investigating controversies involving members of her own party. She has clashed especially with Thomas Rivera Schatz, the president of the Senate. Ms. Vázquez came under intense legal scrutiny herself last year amid ethical complaints filed by the Office of the Independent Special Prosecutor. | Her relationship with the legislative branch is fraught, to say the least. Her time as secretary of justice has been punctuated by criticism that she has dragged her feet on investigating controversies involving members of her own party. She has clashed especially with Thomas Rivera Schatz, the president of the Senate. Ms. Vázquez came under intense legal scrutiny herself last year amid ethical complaints filed by the Office of the Independent Special Prosecutor. |
| In November 2018, Ms. Vázquez faced allegations that she had improperly intervened on behalf of her daughter and son-in-law in a case involving a theft from their residence. She was the first secretary of justice to face criminal charges, according to the Puerto Rican daily El Nuevo Dia. Ms. Vázquez was briefly suspended from her post as the investigation developed. But she was later cleared of any ethical violations by Judge Yazdel Ramos Colón, who said there was not sufficient evidence against her. | In November 2018, Ms. Vázquez faced allegations that she had improperly intervened on behalf of her daughter and son-in-law in a case involving a theft from their residence. She was the first secretary of justice to face criminal charges, according to the Puerto Rican daily El Nuevo Dia. Ms. Vázquez was briefly suspended from her post as the investigation developed. But she was later cleared of any ethical violations by Judge Yazdel Ramos Colón, who said there was not sufficient evidence against her. |
| Ms. Vázquez was immediately reinstated to her post by Mr. Rosselló, a move that drew criticism because it came before the period of an appeal had passed. | Ms. Vázquez was immediately reinstated to her post by Mr. Rosselló, a move that drew criticism because it came before the period of an appeal had passed. |
| The case at one point took a personal turn: Her husband, Jorge Díaz Reverón, a judge in Caguas, also came under investigation on matters related to the case. Mr. Díaz reportedly interviewed the agent investigating his daughter’s case and asked if he would be willing to testify on Ms. Vázquez’s behalf. | The case at one point took a personal turn: Her husband, Jorge Díaz Reverón, a judge in Caguas, also came under investigation on matters related to the case. Mr. Díaz reportedly interviewed the agent investigating his daughter’s case and asked if he would be willing to testify on Ms. Vázquez’s behalf. |
| Mr. Diaz was ultimately cleared of any ethical violations by a Supreme Court judicial disciplinary committee. | Mr. Diaz was ultimately cleared of any ethical violations by a Supreme Court judicial disciplinary committee. |
| Definitely — especially Ms. Vázquez’s problems with the powerful Senate leader, Mr. Rivera, who like Ms. González-Colón is considered a candidate for governor. | Definitely — especially Ms. Vázquez’s problems with the powerful Senate leader, Mr. Rivera, who like Ms. González-Colón is considered a candidate for governor. |
| He has been engaged in a public battle with Ms. Vázquez for over a year. He called for her resignation, accused her of committing crimes and criticized her handling of several cases. It began when Ms. Vázquez investigated allegations of corruption in the Senate leader’s office. The probe led to a federal indictment against a key Senate official, who was accused this year of submitting fake invoices that benefited Mr. Rivera’s political allies. | He has been engaged in a public battle with Ms. Vázquez for over a year. He called for her resignation, accused her of committing crimes and criticized her handling of several cases. It began when Ms. Vázquez investigated allegations of corruption in the Senate leader’s office. The probe led to a federal indictment against a key Senate official, who was accused this year of submitting fake invoices that benefited Mr. Rivera’s political allies. |
| That was when a special counsel’s office, an office over which Mr. Rivera is believed to have influence, began the investigation involving Ms. Vázquez and her family. | That was when a special counsel’s office, an office over which Mr. Rivera is believed to have influence, began the investigation involving Ms. Vázquez and her family. |
| The bad blood between the two politicians has long played out in the local news. Mr. Rivera has called Ms. Vázquez “the secretary of nothing.” | The bad blood between the two politicians has long played out in the local news. Mr. Rivera has called Ms. Vázquez “the secretary of nothing.” |