Posted on 05/27/2003 6:18:20 AM PDT by Ebenezer
(English-language translation)
After 2 years and 4 months in office and following weeks of speculation that she herself dismissed, Governor Sila Calderón announced to the country last night her decision not to seek reelection in the 2004 general elections.
That being said, the next hours will be crucial for the [pro-Commonwealth] Popular Democratic Party (PDP) to complete its ballot. Former candidate for Resident Commissioner José Alfredo Hernández Mayoral is mentioned as the strong figure to head the PDP ballot in 2004. The names of Senator Roberto Prats, former Senator and former candidate for Mayor of San Juan Eduardo Bhatia, and Resident Commissioner Aníbal Acevedo Vilá have been mentioned as well to complete the PDP's main team of key candidacies such as [Resident] Commissioner in Washington, Mayor of San Juan, and President of the Senate.
"For a long time, I have reflected very seriously on the stage my life is in and on the years I may have ahead. After much thought, I have made the very difficult decision not to seek the governorship of Puerto Rico once more, so that I may, instead, seek a more balanced life during the years God will grant me," the Chief Executive said with a broken voice during her televised message.
Dressed in white just as on the day she took office, Calderón recalled that, in 1999, she announced her candidacy for Governor "due to a demand by the Puerto Rican people for a change of government." She stressed that, during her incumbency, she forcefully attacked corruption. The first woman to become Governor of Puerto Rico emphasized that, when her 4-year term ends in December 2004, she will have served 8 consecutive years in an elected position, 4 as Governor and 4 as Mayor of San Juan.
"I made this decision a while back, but it is not until now that I can communicate it to you. I personally share it with you so you may hear it directly from me and so you may know what you can expect from my government in the coming times. It has been a difficult decision, of a deep emotional content because it implies my detaching myself from something for which I have the greatest feeling, which is public service to my country," a visibly emotional Calderón stressed. The Chief Executive recalled that the period to file candidacies begins on June 1.
The Governor - who arrived at the Governor's Mansion while married to businessman Adolfo Krans, to later divorce and recently dating her former Secretary of Economic Development Ramón Cantero Frau - pointed out that one of the elements in making the decision is her seeking a more balanced life. She recalled that she had to govern during times made difficult by economic recession, terrorism, and war.
In order to dismiss doubts as to her efficacy as Governor during the remainder of her term, Calderón was emphatic in [pledging to] work with the greatest drive. She mentioned that she will center her efforts on 3 priorities during the next 19 months. These are economic development and the creation of jobs, the special-community projects, and the war on crime. "I will work and fight with more determination than ever and with more strength than ever to finish the work that I began and to continue providing the clean and serious government that you asked me for and which you have a right to have, and so will I do," she maintained.
"I believe in public service and also in the Puerto Rican young people and their talents, [and] that is why I know that Puerto Rico has a great future," the Governor mentioned, leaving the door open for her being succeeded by young candidates within her party.
Calderón's announcement is similar to that made in 1999 by then-Governor Pedro Rosselló. After a week of constant public appearances, he summoned his agency heads to the Governor's Mansion early in the morning announced his decision [not to run for reelection]. Calderón spent 2 weeks conducting inspection visits to public works, in which, at times, she reiterated that she was a candidate for Governor.
The Governor's decision was seen coming since the early morning hours yesterday when, at a public event in the town of Comerío, she changed her way of responding to the question on whether, unequivocally, she would be a candidate for reelection.
"What I guarantee to the Puerto Rican people is that the Popular [Democratic] Party will be in power 12 more years," Calderón stated, prompting applause from the audience and displaying an ample smile.
Until yesterday, Calderón always responded categorically that "I am the candidate for Governor for the Popular [Democratic] Party."
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