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One in all her attorneys, Peter John Porrata, advised CNN Vazquez will plead not responsible to the costs. She was launched on bond after a quick listening to Thursday.
“I’m harmless and an excellent injustice has been dedicated, ” Vázquez advised reporters after her launch. “I’ve dedicated no crime.”
A onetime political advisor for Vázquez and the president of a world financial institution have pleaded responsible to taking part within the bribery scheme, based on a DOJ assertion.
A former FBI agent and the proprietor of the worldwide financial institution that operated in San Juan additionally participated within the alleged scheme, federal officers say.
From December 2019 by way of June 2020, the 62-year-old former governor allegedly conspired in a scheme to finance her gubernatorial marketing campaign, based on the DOJ.
Vázquez allegedly acquired greater than $300,000 from two businessmen to finance political consultants throughout her marketing campaign, Stephen Muldrow, US Lawyer for the District of Puerto Rico, advised reporters Thursday.
Vazquez and others are charged with conspiracy, federal packages bribery and trustworthy providers wire fraud.
The ex-governor, who is called in three of seven counts in an indictment, faces as much as 20 years in jail if convicted.
“The alleged bribery scheme rose to the best ranges of the Puerto Rican authorities, threatening public belief in our electoral processes and establishments of governance,” Assistant Lawyer Basic Kenneth A. Well mannered Jr. mentioned in a press release.
The bribes have been allegedly paid in change for Vázquez making an appointment to the Workplace of the Commissioner of Monetary Establishments that benefited businessmen concerned within the scheme, Muldrow mentioned.
The indictment alleged the proprietor of the worldwide financial institution and his advisor — the previous FBI agent — agreed to offer funding for Vázquez’s marketing campaign in change for her changing the island’s high financial institution regulator with considered one of their selecting. On the time, the financial institution was the “topic of an examination” by the regulatory company, federal prosecutors say.
Muldrow mentioned the island’s present governor, who defeated Vázquez in an election, was not concerned within the scheme.
A former Secretary of Justice, Vázquez served as governor of the US territory from 2019 to 2021. Her appointment got here after disgraced former governor Ricardo Rosselló was compelled to step down following islandwide protests towards his authorities.
She turned Secretary of Justice in January 2017 — with a mandate that included combating corruption on the island — and was an ally of Rosselló.
In 2018, Vazquez got here beneath hearth for allegedly intervening on behalf of her daughter in a case stemming from a house theft. She confronted prices of violating authorities ethics legal guidelines. However a choose later dominated there was inadequate proof to arrest her.
Arrest impacts ‘the boldness of our folks’
Vázquez’s temporary tenure as governor was contentious.
Her ties to the disgraced former governor introduced scrutiny. Critics accused her of failing to open investigations towards members of her personal occasion, notably Rosselló and his administration’s dealing with of the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017.
In January 2020, Puerto Ricans poured onto the streets of San Juan calling for her resignation after Hurricane Maria provides have been present in a warehouse within the metropolis of Ponce, greater than two years after the storm.
Later that yr, Puerto Rican officers confirmed Vásquez was being investigated for suspicion of mishandling sources meant to mitigate earthquake injury on the island.
Mayra Velez Serrano, a professor of political science on the College of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, mentioned Thursday that many individuals on the island have been shocked on the arrest however not fully stunned.
“That the previous Justice Secretary … and ex-governor, who’s married to a choose, that she was concerned in something like this and that she was arrested continues to be stunning,” Velez mentioned. “This continues to undermine the general public’s confidence within the political system and their politicians and the 2 fundamental events.”
Puerto Rican Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, who was elected governor after defeating Vásquez in a major election, mentioned Thursday, “Underneath my administration there’s zero tolerance for corruption.”
“At this time we see as soon as once more that nobody is above the regulation in Puerto Rico,” Pierluisi, a member of the identical pro-commonwealth occasion as Vásquez, mentioned in Spanish by way of Twitter.
The arrest “actually impacts and lacerates the boldness of our folks,” the governor mentioned.
“I reiterate that in my administration we are going to proceed to have a typical entrance with the federal authorities towards anybody who commits an improper act,” mentioned the governor.
“Wherever it comes from and whoever it could implicate, in addition to selling initiatives and following up on the payments that I’ve introduced to fight corruption,” he mentioned.
In 2019, Rosselló handpicked Pierluisi as his successor.
Vázquez was subsequently sworn in. “In gentle of the choice by the Puerto Rico Supreme Courtroom, I have to step apart and assist the Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico,” Pierluisi had mentioned in a press release on the time.
Pierluisi then received the election for the seat in November 2020.
