SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Puerto Rico’s governor denied allegations of obstruction of justice late Monday as the main opposition party demanded she be investigated and hinted at a possible impeachment process in what could be the latest round of political upheaval for the U.S. territory.
In a brief statement, Gov. Wanda Vázquez for the first time acknowledged an alleged investigation that the island’s Department of Justice is supposedly conducting against her, saying she was never told about it. She also denied recently firing the former justice secretary in alleged retribution for leading the investigation.
The details of the alleged investigation were not immediately clear.
Vázquez declined further comment, saying only that she would speak further on the issue on Tuesday.
“I will share all details up front as I’ve done my whole career. With the truth,” she said.
Vázquez’s statement comes after she announced late Friday that she had accepted the resignation of former justice secretary Dennise Longo. No further details were given at the time.
The governor released the statement hours after an incident at the Puerto Rico Office of the Special Independent Prosecutor’s Panel. Nydia Cotto, a former judge who serves as the panel’s presdient, told The Associated Press that someone from the Department of Justice was about to drop off files on Monday related to six cases slated for investigation but abruptly left after receiving a call from an unidentified person at the Department of Justice.
“That has never happened before,” she said.
Cotto declined to identify the people named in those cases or share any other details, saying they were confidential.
Puerto Rico’s newest justice secretary, Wandymar Burgos, said in a statement that she requested the documents on the six cases because she had just found out about them on Monday and needed to know what they were about.
“Let it be abundantly clear to all the people of Puerto Rico that all investigations of merit will be carried out to the last consequence, regardless of the person involved,” she said.
Before the governor released her statement, the opposition Popular Democratic Party held a press conference in which leaders announced they had requested a legislative investigation into the allegations of obstruction of justice. It was not immediately clear if the leader of Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives, who is a member of Vázquez’s party, would grant permission for such an investigation.
“The people need to hear from the governor herself,” said Aníbal Torres, president of the main opposition party.
Vázque served as Puerto Rico’s justice secretary before the island’s Supreme Court ruled that she should be sworn in as governor after former Gov. Ricardo Rosselló stepped down nearly a year ago following massive protests.
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