Puerto Rico’s embattled governor will name the island’s former representative in the U.S. Congress, Pedro Pierluisi, as his new secretary of state and next in line to succeed him when he steps down, El Nuevo Dia newspaper reported, according to Reuters. Governor Ricardo Rosselló said last week he would resign on Friday in the face of mass street protests and public outrage over the release of profane chat messages and federal corruption charges against two former administration officials. Puerto Rico lower house Representative José Meléndez told the newspaper that legislators were informed of Rosselló’s decision yesterday by the president of the chamber, Johnny Méndez. The newspaper said an official announcement was imminent. Pierluisi, a corporate lawyer who works for Washington law firm O’Neill & Borges, would have to be approved as secretary of state by the legislature of the bankrupt U.S. territory. Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives scheduled a special session for Friday to confirm Rosselló’s pick for the post. It remained to be seen whether Pierluisi, if nominated, could gain sufficient votes.
