González Colón on a blank vote in plebiscite: ‘If they want to lose the vote, lost vote’

The commemoration of the 248th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States, organized by the Municipality of Barranquitas, was dedicated to Barranquiteño U.S. Army veteran Juan Evangelista “Hito” Rivera, with the recognition entered into the Congressional Record by Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón. (Facebook via Evelyn 2024 Mayor of Arroyo)

By The Star Staff

Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón, the New Progressive Party (NPP) candidate for governor, responded on Thursday to the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the same post, Jesús Manuel Ortiz González, who urged leaving the status consultation ballot blank on election day.

“That opposition, which is a selective, accommodating opposition, because there is an electoral process, wants to deny the people the opportunity,” González Colón said at a press conference in Barranquitas, where she participated in a 4th of July observance. “And there are some who have said that they are going to vote blank or others who have said that they are not going to vote; everyone has the right. Now, blank ballots do not have a definition option. The options that are counted are statehood, independence and independence with association with the United States. So if people want to lose the vote, well look, lost vote.”

“I want to see in this plebiscite all the independence supporters who want independence for Puerto Rico vote for it. An independentista who denies his independence at the time of voting, I believe that he will publicly make it clear where the loyalties of the people of Puerto Rico truly lie, which is to treasure our American citizenship,” she said. “And I appeal to everyone who believes in American citizenship, who believes in permanent union with the United States, to vote and not leave that ballot blank because the message that is sent to Congress is that they do not want to be Americans nor do they want American citizenship nor do they want permanent relationship with the United States. That is what is at stake. These elections are between the left and those of us who believe in American citizenship. As simple as that. The plebiscite is the mechanism so that we have enough pressure in Congress to get moving, and resolve the political status.”

González Colón made her statements during the commemoration of the 248th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States, organized by the Municipality of Barranquitas and dedicated to Barranquiteño veteran Juan Evangelista “Hito” Rivera, joining the recognition with the entry into the Congressional Record.

“Today, in a simple but significant way, we commemorate in the mountains an important date for those of us who believe in and promote equality, well-being and the progress of people,” Barranquitas Mayor Elliott Colón Blanco said. “An event that changed the course of a nation of which we are a part. Certainly, it is a date upon which all of us who have the privilege of serving others should reflect. It is a date that should inspire us to continue working more and more every day. We dedicate this celebration to the veteran Juan Evangelista Rivera, a brave man who has fought for our rights and deserves all our recognition.”

The resident commissioner emphasized that the status consultation proposed for election day, Nov. 5, “has something that none of the previous plebiscites have had.”

“This time the language that is being used is language that we approved in the United States Congress, with definitions approved and drafted by the United States Department of Justice,” she said. “That approval is the most important achievement we have had in the discussion of statehood, that for the first time we define what the non-colonial non-territorial status options are, and those are independence, independence in partnership with the United States and federated statehood.”

Ortiz González, the PDP president, said earlier on Thursday that the party’s governing board had approved a resolution to protest the status consultation by casting blank ballots (see story on page 3).

Among others attending the event in Barranquitas were the NPP minority leaders in the island Senate, Thomas Rivera Schatz, and House of Representatives, Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez, as well as other senators, representatives, candidates and mayors from various municipalities.