Posted on 08/28/2003 11:20:52 AM PDT by Ebenezer
(English-language translation)
Governor Sila Calderón and former Secretary of Economic Development Ramón Cantero Frau made their sentimental relationship official and announced that they will marry on Wednesday, September 10 in the Governor's Mansion.
The persistent rumors that there would be a wedding in the Governor's Mansion were laid to rest yesterday with the official announcement amid many smiles, tender looks, and shows of affection that Calderón and Cantero will marry.
Wearing her shiny diamond and ruby engagement ring, the Governor expressed her feeling "deeply in love" with her former Cabinet Secretary and described herself as the "happiest woman in the world" as she kept her promise to keep the people abreast of any change in the status of the relationship. The Governor explained that, while she had received the ring several days ago, she did not display it in public but only wore it "when sleeping".
"It is a source of great joy for me to share with the Puerto Rican people the deep happiness I feel by announcing that Ramón and I have formalized our relationship and that we are going to join our lives forever," Calderón stated.
"The wedding will take place this coming September 10 here in the Governor's Mansion," she added. This would be the first wedding in the Mansion, since this is the first wedding that will be held for a sitting Puerto Rican Chief Executive.
The noon ceremony will be civil, private, and with attendance limited to close relatives and some friends. A family lunch and a reception for the Cabinet will follow. Later in the afternoon, the gates of the Governor's Mansion will open so the people may enter its gardens and share in welcoming the new member of the island's First Family.
After a 15-year friendship, as both explained, Cantero "dared" to invite the Governor to dine at an Italian restaurant in San Juan (Il Perugino) on February 12 following the State of the Commonwealth address, the couple said. This was the first date, followed by a trip to the movies (the Metro in Santurce) and a French restaurant in the capital (La Chaumiere), which were covered by EL VOCERO.
"During this year, our relationship deepened," Cantero pointed out as he stated that this sentimental interest developed "after 15 years of friendship and government collaboration."
After several rejected marriage proposals, the Governor agreed "a month or so ago", in late July, to marry Cantero, according to the lovers. "You know that men are aggressive, [and] I believe that women understand. I was just beginning a relationship with him and I found [his proposal] somewhat premature. The man is aggressive and persistent," said the Chief Executive.
Cantero said that his proposals began in early July. "This was the year when a deep relationship developed...and, obviously, I asked the Governor that we get married. The Governor came out a little hard (laughter), but she accepted in late July," stated the former Secretary of Economic Development and Chairman of the Special Communities Trust who is in charge of administering $1 billion designated for the latter project.
Meanwhile, Cantero announced his resignation from the chairmanship of the Trust effective September 9. He declared no understanding of how his permanence in such a position would have involved a conflict of interests, but he made the decision [to resign] in order to avoid political attacks.
"The third is the last", Cantero mentioned as he stated that he proposed marriage to the Governor on several occasions and that this would be the third marriage for both. The number may vary as the Chief Executive's first marriage was annulled. Calderón divorced businessman Alfredo Krans almost 2 years ago after a long marriage.
The lovers indicated that the best man and the maid of honor will be their respective children, but they did not offer additional details. Calderón has 3 children: Sila Mari, Francisco, and María Elena González, aged 37, 35, and 33 years, respectively. Meanwhile, Cantero has 2 daughters: Laura and Adriana Cantero, aged 21 and 18 years, respectively.
Both [Calderón and Cantero] assured that the wedding will be held at their expense. The lovers admitted not knowing if they will exchange vows.
"Today, I feel like the happiest woman in the world and, just as I had said, I wanted to share this with the Puerto Rican people when this occurred", a smiling Calderón pointed out as she entered the Tea Room in the Governor's Mansion with Cantero.
Cantero stated that the chosen date for the wedding is a special date for Calderón as it coincides with her parent's wedding anniversary. Another reason the date was chosen, the businessman explained, was that he was "born again" on September 11[, 2001] when he was meeting close to the Twin Towers the day of the terrorist attacks in New York.
Following their wedding, the couple will spend their honeymoon in Italy and France for some 2 weeks beginning on September 20.
The Governor denied that the wedding announcement was related to her withdrawal from the 2004 election. Calderón announced in March that she will not run for re-election, a decision she indicates was made in 2001.
Calderón also affirmed that the couple will live in the Governor's Mansion.
A reporter asked the couple to kiss for media purposes, to which a laughing Governor declined while a smiling Cantero looked at her.
In past occasions, the Governor had not ruled out a future love relationship, but had issued a written communication denying the existence of a sentimental relationship with Cantero after being seen together in public.
Anybody who keeps abreast of Puerto Rican affairs knows the mess the island has become under Calderón's watch (hence the Nero-Rome analogy). It is no surprise, then, that she will be sitting out the 2004 election after only one term in office, a first in Puerto Rican politics for an elected Governor.
Oh, and by the way, Puerto Rico's always been a mess. Maybe it's at its worst under Calderon, now. That's debatable, but the fact that Puerto Rico has never received so many BILLIONS of the U.S. Taxpayer's dollars and thousands and thousands of our federal government and private sector jobs for absolutely not a damn thing of equal value in return is not.
More than half of our actual states receive less in hand-outs from the U.S. Taxpayers. It's despicable.
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