Democrat Alejandro Garcia Padilla: Puerto Rico’s new governor

Posted on November 9, 2012 By Rocio Gonzalez Puerto Rico

Alejandro Garcia Padilla, Puerto Rico

Alejandro Garcia Padilla, candidate for governor of Puerto Rico, of the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party, looks to the celebrating crowd in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as the first tallied votes mark a tendency in his favor early Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012. Incumbent Gov. Luis Fortuno conceded defeat to Garcia Padilla in a close election with a margin less than 1 percent. (AP Photo/Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo)

Puerto Rico is about to see a lot of changes.

The governor-elect of the island, Sen. Alejandro Garcia Padilla, is much different from exiting Gov. Luis Fortuño. Garcia Padilla is a Democrat from the island’s Popular Democratic Party who believes in keeping the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, while the New Progressive Party’s Fortuño has been called a rising star in the Republican Party and has actively campaigned in favor of statehood for Puerto Rico as early as his days in Georgetown University.

Unlike Fortuño, Garcia Padilla studied in Puerto Rican universities—the University of Puerto Rico for his bachelor’s degree in political science and economics, and the Interamerican University Law School.

Some of the harshest criticism against Fortuño came due to the way he cut the University of Puerto Rico’s budget, and how he stood by his head of police after students were beaten and arrested during protests. Garcia Padilla may handle things differently when it comes to the university, being an alum and having a brother who served as president of the university for eight years.

Puerto Rico’s Garcia Padilla in politics

He seems to have politics in his blood. Another one of his brothers—the governor-elect is the youngest of six—is mayor of his hometown of Coamo. Garcia Padilla himself has been involved in public service since he joined Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila’s administration in 2005, when he served as head of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO). He was often seen inspecting stores in person during back-to-school and holiday sales, and it endeared him to many Puerto Ricans.

When Fortuño won in 2008, Garcia Padilla was also elected to public office, to the senate. In that election, he was the senator at-large that got the most votes.

Son of a World War II veteran and a homemaker, he will bring with him the youngest kids La Fortaleza—the governor’s mansion in Old San Juan—will have seen in years, once he takes office on Jan. 2. Garcia Padilla has three children—Ana, Juan Pablo and Diego—with his wife Wilma Pastrana.

Many people are surprised with the outcome of the election, since the last polls gave Fortuño the edge. However, the thousands of voters who elected Garcia Padilla into the office of governor on Tuesday seem to be breathing a sigh of relief. The results of the election show the majority of voters grew tired of Fortuño and his administration. Even Puerto Rico’s top newspaper, El Nuevo Dia, reflected this. In an editorial published on Thursday, titled “Rejection to Arrogance,” the newspaper said voters had had enough and were conscientious when they headed to the polls on Tuesday. The editorial heavily criticized Fortuño and his party, saying they needed to take a long hard look at themselves.

Being the second-youngest governor ever elected in Puerto Rico, many have criticized Garcia Padilla’s inexperience. But he vows to unite Puerto Ricans and put the country on the right track. Only time will tell.

 


email
Share this post

Source: VOXXI News

Get our Weekly Newsletter

  • Tere Santini

    Excellent!!

  • CurlyLox

    Puerto Rico will become nothing more than a tourist playground. We will lose our culture, our language, our flag, and be forced to assimilate as others have. As just a Commonwealth, we have already lost so much! The people barely cultivate the land and are going to the markets to buy their imported meats and vegetables when they could be supplying themselves with our countrys crops and livestock. Imagine the more drastic changes that they will have to succumb to if it becomes a state.

    I am deeply saddened by this and think it is nothing more than a legal, more civil way of completely eliminating our culture. They massacred the original natives, and forced who was left to assimilate, when Puerto Rico was “founded”. Now they will do it again. We will lose our identity once and for all.

    The feelings of helplessness are overwhelming. Even if it’s too late to make a difference, I need to be able to voice my concerns.

    I understand there is nothing I can do and so my concerns will probably go unheard. I just wanted someone to know that not all Puerto Ricans see this statehood possibility as a positive change.

    • Ezequiel Gonzalez

      Puerto Rican National Identity is stronger than ever. Our understanding of who we are and what is our purpose in the world is becoming clear. And the miracle of Nov 6 clearly indicate that God is on our side.

      One week ago Governor Fortuno was ahead on the pools and had the impetus… The opposition was divided ideologically and split apart in five different parties. A huge campaign of character assasination had been lunch against Alejandro Garcia Padilla and many people saw him as an inexperience weakling.

      The mayor radio and TV stations in PR are own by US networks and unofficially supported the NPP party and their Candidate for reelection. A major newspaper had been finance by Government grants and, although officially independent, in reality had become a New Progressive Party publication masquerading as an Independent newspaper.

      It seemed inevitable that the Alejandro Garcia Padila and the Popular Democratic Party would be soundly defeated. Then at the last minute the various factions within the Party spoke with one voice and called for a unified and patriotic vote to oust Fortuno from the Governorship.

      The people responded, and in a last minute surge Alejandro Garcia Padilla won by less than 1% of the votes. 877,029 for Garcia Padilla versus 862,817 for Fortuno. A mere difference of just 14,217 votes.

      But the miracle is even bigger, with that slim last minute surge the the Popular Democratic Party dominated the State House of Representatives, the State Senate and most of the Municipal races.

      So now the future of Puerto Rico depends on us. On the effort we put to rebuilt our national economy, that the NPP party has destroyed, for they, in the effort to Americanize Puerto Rico, refuse to develop a truly local, comprehensive national economy for fear that that it will become an obstacle for statehood.

      The Governor elect, once he takes office should concentrate in rebulding PR. WE, those who beleive in National Sovereignty, should concentrate in educating our people about the benefits and advantages of Sovereignty and the limitations, the straight-jacket limitations, that Statehood will imposed upon our Puerto Ridcan nation.

      This educational movement has already started and thanks to it, in the plebiscite that was celebrated on Nov 6, about 24% choose Free Association and another 4% percent choose Full Independence. With another and more intense round of National Sovereignty orientation and education, I have no doubt that our showing next time will be much stronger.

      So, the challenges ahead are great, but with God on our side, we will grow sovereign and free to fulfill our collective, national purpose. So help us God.

    • LBoriqa

      Loosing identity, are you for real?. Go to any State in the USA with a large population of puertoricans and you will see how strong is La Mancha del Platano. Nevertheless, I recommend that you relax and forget about it, as Congress will never pass such amendment. It is my understanding that regardless of what the puertoricans want, both, the Senate and the House of Representatives would need to approve Puerto Rico’s request for statehood by a two-thirds majority. With seven house representatives at stake, I doubt Democrats or Republicans will take the risk of giving seven seats to the other party. These guys cannot even pass a budget, which only needs a one vote majority to pass, and you expect them to reach a two third majority?

    • LuisArroyo

      How do you figure that? There are 5 million of us in the states.
      We are still Puerto rican, Hablamos el español igual que nuestros padres!

      Puerto Ricans have been in the states since 1940 in large numbers. Were still Boricuas. If we ere still Boricuas and talking spanish at home in NJ, how the hell will you lose it in Puerto Rico, where everything is in spanish? What, you think spanish will be outlawed? That’s ridiculous. The island is overpopulated. Any whites that move there will be puerto ricanized and vice versa.

      You will NOT lose the flag! It becomes the flag of the state of Puerto Rico. Hawaii ,Texas has theirs from independent days. Californias flag still says “California Republic”, even as a state.

  • LuisArroyo

    First of all Puerto Rico is not a “country”. Its an unincorporated US territory. Stop spreading misinformation.

    Second,while its founder Luis Ferre was a statehooder and father of both “El Nuevo Dia newspaper and the PNP party, his sons betrayed his cause by joining the Rands,pledging the newspaper to the (self described) “popular” Democrat Party(PPD), and forming the Ferre Rand version of “el nuevo dia” Now the most nationalist anti american anti. Statehood newspaper on the island! OF COURSE IT WROTE AN ARTICLE AGAINST FORTUÑO. Ats been attacking statehood and all its advocates since Founder Luis Ferre died.

  • EDGARDO MALDOANDO ARCE

    YO=EDGARDO MALDONADO ARCE =ESCRITOR NO HE PODIDO HACER CITA CON USTED 787-379-4990 LLAMEME EMRGENCIA

  • Michael Erazo

    Well, if as a Puerto Rican, some feel, that they will lose their culture, then your Puerto Rican pride, is questionable. So, if you are a Christian, then if your church, God forbid, closes or burns down, you have nowhere to pray? You can pray, anywhere.

    As a Puerto Rican, or other, you carry your culture with you. Whatever changes your country goes through, which may, or may not be to your liking, should not keep you from your culture.
    The language? Not all but look how “some” youth speak, in Spanish? Terrible! Not in all cases but many speak terribly and this is without Puerto Rico, becoming a state.
    You have a right to your opinions, you sure do but lose your culture, just like that? You are not going to lose it, you lost it, by giving up on yourself, whomever that may be.