Inauguration of Pedro Pierluisi

The inauguration of Pedro Pierluisi as the 14th Governor of Puerto Rico was held on Saturday, January 2, 2021, on the northern front of the Capitol of Puerto Rico in San Juan. The inauguration marked the commencement of the four-year tearm of Pedro Pierluisi as governor of the Commonwealth. The oath of office was administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico Maite Oronoz Rodríguez.

The event was the 19th ordinary gubernatorial inauguration. Pierluisi will take the oath of office as governor on that day. The inauguration took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, and festivities were limited to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.[1]

Inauguration of Pedro Pierluisi
DateJanuary 2, 2021 (2021-01-02)
LocationCapitol of Puerto Rico,
San Juan
Organized byPuerto Rico Department of State
Superintendent of the Capitol
ParticipantsPedro Pierluisi
14th Governor of Puerto Rico
— Assuming office
Maite Oronoz Rodríguez
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico
— Administering oath

Pretext

Pierluisi had previously taken the oath of office when then-governor Ricardo Rosselló had designated him as his succesor and which was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court on July 2019.[2]

Planning

The committee organizing the ceremony was presided by Ileana Borges Borges, who has been designated by Pierluisi as Director of the Office of Judicial and Executive Appointments,[3] and was being aided by the Department of State, which finances the event.[1] Additionally, as is customary, the outgoing governor, Wanda Vázquez Garced, signed an executive order to "[a]ctivate the National Guard with the purpose of participating and giving aide" at the official ceremony.[4] Physical preparations for the event commenced the morning of Boxing Day, with three larger-than-usual platforms to maintain social distancing being built on the northern side of the Captiol building.[5]

Approximately 400 guests, who had to present a COVID-19 negative test with a 72 hours notice,[6][7] as expected attended , down from the typical 3,000.[1][8] The general public was not allowed and only those invited were abe able to attend.[6] Invited guests included the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, the Cabinet of Puerto Rico, legislators-elect and the mayors-elect of Puerto Rico, to which Pierluisi exhorted that the latters' inauguration ceremonies avoid grouping people.[8][6][9]

Caridad Pierluisi, Pierluisi's sister and campaign manager, assured that the event "will be primarily virtual."[10] The event had a minimal number of attendees and the organizing committtee exhorted the general public, as well as governors from other states, to watch the ceremony on digital platforms.[1][11] Steny Hoyer and Nancy Pelosi had expressed interest in viewing the ceremony virtually.[7] Confirmed guests included outgoing governor Wanda Vázquez, former governors Alejandro García Padilla, Luis Fortuño and Carlos Romero Barcelo, Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González and Dominican president Luis Abinader.[8]

Inaugural event

The ceremony was set to commence at 10:00 a.m. and will be broadcast on WIPR-TV as well as other channels and online platforms.[5]

The executive order decreed by governor Wanda Vázquez Garced expires on January 11 and forbided public gatherings.[1]

At 8:00 a.m. Pierluisi took the oath of office privately from Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Maite Oronoz Rodríguez, at the Supreme Court Building, while his sister, Caridad, held a Bible on which he placed his left hand. This ceremony was not open to the public.[12]

As Pierluisi arrived on the stage at 10:42 a.m. the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra played Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. This was followed by a series of benediction by pastors Otoniel Font and Wanda Rolón, Episcopal Bishop Rafael Morales, rabbi Diego Méndez Mendelbaum, and monsignor Antonio J. Vázquez. This was followed by an interpretation of Tony Croatto's Creo en Dios (I Believe in God) by the Caribbean Tenors. As is tradition, the designated Secretary of State, Larry Seilhamer Rodríguez, was the master of ceremonies.[2]

Pierluisi again took the oath of office from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Maite Oronoz Rodríguez, by placing his left hand on a Bible held by his father, Jorge Pierluisi Díaz.[2] After a gun salute, Pierluisi gave an inagural address.

References
  1. Otero, Carlos Antonio (2020-12-11). "Inusual toma de posesión" [Unusual Inauguration]. El Vocero (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  2. Colón Dávila, Javier (2021-01-02). "Pedro Pierluisi promete un gobierno diverso y libre de corrupción en su primer mensaje al país" [Pedro Pierluisi Promises a Diverse and Free-form-Corruption Government in his First Message to the Nation]. El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2020-01-02. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
  3. Rivera, Carlos (2020-12-14). "Ileana Borges Borges". El Vocero (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  4. "Gobernadora firma orden para que la Guardia Nacional ofrezca apoyo en toma de posesión de Pierluisi" [Governor signs order for the National Guard to offer support in the inauguration of Pierluisi]. Telemundo Internacional (in Spanish). 2020-12-13. Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  5. "Inician los preparativos para toma de posesión de Pedro Pierluisi" [Preparations Begin for Pedro Pierluisi's Inauguration]. WSKN (in Spanish). 2020-12-26. Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  6. Rosario, Frances (2020-12-26). "Pedro Pierluisi juramentará en una actividad pública frente al Capitolio" [Pedro Pierluisi will be sworn in at a public event in front of the Capitol]. Primera Hora (Puerto Rico) (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  7. de Jesús-Salamán, Adriana (2020-12-26). "Cerca de 400 invitados a juramentación oficial de Pierluisi" [About 400 invited to the official inauguration of Pierluisi]. NotiCel (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  8. Quintero, Laura M. (2020-12-26). "Esperan 400 invitados en la toma de posesión de Pedro Pierluisi" [400 guests expected at the inauguration of Pedro Pierluisi]. El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  9. Santana-Miranda, Sadot (2020-12-03). "Pierluisi no descarta cambios a nueva Orden Ejecutiva" [Pierluisi does not rule out changes to the new Executive Order]. Metro International (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  10. "La toma de posesión de Pierluisi será "primordialmente virtual" ante el Covid-19" [Pierluisi's Inauguration will be "primarily virtual" in the face of Covid-19]. La Perla del Sur (in Spanish). 2020-12-27. Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  11. Fonseca, Jay (2020-12-11). "Atípica toma de posesión para Pierluisi" [Atypical Inauguration for Pierluisi]. Jay Fonseca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  12. Rosario, Frances (2021-01-02). "Pedro Pierluisi jura como gobernador en el Tribunal Supremo" [Pedro Pierluisi Sworn in as Governor in the Supreme Court]. El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2020-01-02. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
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