President of the Chamber files federal complaint to Lieutenant Colonel Orlando Rivera

The president of the Chamber, Rafael “Tatito” Hernández filed a complaint today, before federal judge Gustavo Gelpí, against Lieutenant Colonel Orlando Rivera for mobilizing specialized units of the Police to the Capitol last Sunday during the ecumenical march and the demonstration of a group of retirees from the Electric Power Authority (PREPA) in the Plaza de la Democracia, without informing the legislative authorities.

“We filed a complaint at the federal level, on the monitor, establishing the breach of the law of the capitoline district, the unconstitutional norms that these officials have breached and the tactical protocols that they did not comply with when they came here to frighten people who simply wanted to express themselves. ”, Announced the chamber leader in an initial turn in today’s session.

He said that on Sunday he appeared at the House of Laws, after being informed that Rivera wanted to “impose the gun” with units of the Police in Tropical Medicine without having notified the Superintendency of the Capitol, an office that “has jurisdiction primary school ”in the security of the House of Laws. He indicated that the demonstration that was taking place at the time in the Plaza de la Democracia was peaceful and “there was no person on the steps, everything was clean.” The President of the Chamber also maintained that the people who marched together with the religious leadership in front of the Legislature, “walked in peace and love.”

“We informed the colonel that he was not complying with the law, in a harsh manner and with attitude, he said that he was in command here. Those are the true facts of this power-drunk officer. We went to the steps and they didn’t want to let me in. In the Rotunda there were more than 30 to 40 unauthorized officers, “claimed the legislative leader, who referred to the lieutenant colonel as” a partisan fanatic. “

“Precisely Puerto Rico has a monitor in the Police for the historical trajectory of abuses against citizens,” he added.

Hernández Montañez asked Judge Gelpí, who is in charge of reforming the Police, to order an investigation into the incident he had with the lieutenant colonel. The letter to Gelpí is copied to the federal monitor, John Romero. In another letter, the President of the Chamber also requested an investigation into the event from the secretary of the Department of Public Security, Alexis Torres, whom he said he notified today of the complaint in a meeting with the president of the Senate, José Luis Dalmau Santiago and to which the head of the Police Department, Antonio López, also attended.

“The refusal of Lieutenant Colonel Orlando Rivera to coordinate the security plans, in accordance with this mandate of law, to safeguard the life, property and integrity of the citizens who participated in the march held on Sunday, May 30, 2021 in the vicinity of the Plaza de la Democracia, attached to the Capitol, caused an excessive atmosphere of confrontation with the high officials of the Police Bureau that unjustifiably lacked the progress made with the reform adopted “, indicated the President of the Chamber in the letter addressed to the judge Gelpí.

“This House of Representatives reaffirms itself in a public policy focused on non-confrontation, respect for individual freedoms, support for the work carried out by our police officers and full recognition of the legitimacy that should govern peaceful demonstrations,” said Hernández Montañez.

He also requested that a security protocol be established for future demonstrations, in which “the authority of the Legislative Assembly is recognized to actively participate in the coordination of efforts to protect the fundamental rights that protect our citizens.”

The spokesman for the New Progressive minority, Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Núñez also took an initial turn in the session and attacked the President of the Chamber, whom he accused of “violating democracy” when last week he did not allow the vote of the The defeated appointments of Larry Seilhamer to the Secretary of State and Manuel Torres to the Comptroller’s Office were made by list.

“I can understand the frustration that the Speaker of the Chamber may have because every day we experience frustrations in our daily efforts, but to say today that he is in defense of democracy and go like a small child to block the parking lots of the police who provide him protection of the property and the safety of those who visit this place, goes against their own actions and violates their words, ”said Méndez Núñez.

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