|
 |
|
Esta página no está disponible en español. WOW NewsRossello Calls Persecution Of Statehood Advocates "Intolerable"
August 21, 2002 Former Gov. Pedro Rossello affirmed on Tuesday that persecution of any citizen that has something to do with the statehood movement or the past administration is intolerable. "Everybody in Puerto Rico knows the dangers of persecution there is against anyone that has to do with the statehood movement or the past administration" Rossello said in a radio interview from Virginia. "This is intolerable," said the former governor reacting to the continued attacks to which he’s been allegedly subjected from the current Popular Democratic Party’s administration, the Ferre-Rangel newspapers and the federal authorities, regarding the corruption that took place under his incumbency. "What it is clearly seen here is the convenient conspiracy of political interests, represented by the Popular Democratic Party, economic interests, represented by the Ferré-Rangel Group, and personal interests from some officials from the U.S. District Attorney’s Office to criminalize an ideological movement that is a menace to their dominance," Rossello said. The former governor called for a reaction from the statehood movement and its followers to denounce what he described as an "abuse to the citizens’ civil liberties of American citizens who live in Puerto Rico", since the New Progressive Party leadership has been "timid" in its efforts. Rossello, who has been severely criticized by several sectors for his silence over the most recent accusations against members of his administration said he decide to come forward and speak about the matter because some people in Puerto Rico might understand his silence as an admission. He also justifies his silence by stating that he didn’t want to intervene or criticize the current administration because it was fair to give the new government the opportunity to carry out what they promised. "What they don’t understand is that when I left Puerto Rico it was in the spirit that there wouldn’t be any intervention or interference. I was not going to be criticizing the new administration and thought it was fair to give them the opportunity to carry out what they promised to the Puerto Rican people," Rossello said.
|