The future of Pedro Pierluisi as Puerto Rico’s governor will be up to the U.S. territory’s supreme court after the island’s Senate yesterday declined to vote on his confirmation, adding to the political turmoil that has swirled for weeks, Reuters reported. During a special session, Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz said the lack of a vote by his chamber was equivalent to a rejection of Pierluisi’s nomination as secretary of state and next in line to replace Ricardo Rosselló, who resigned as governor on Friday. Schatz acknowledged that the supreme court would ultimately rule on the matter. Pierluisi also said it would be up to the court. “With the utmost deference to the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, I will wait for its decision, trusting that what is best for Puerto Rico will prevail,” Pierluisi said in a statement. The high court yesterday put a lawsuit filed by Schatz on a fast track, ordering all parties to submit their arguments by midday today. The lawsuit seeks to oust Pierluisi from office on constitutional grounds because both legislative chambers had not consented to the nomination. Justice Secretary Wanda Vazquez would be next in line to become governor.
