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Esta página no está disponible en español. WOW NewsPolitical And Ideological Differences Intensified In 2002By WOW News staff
December 31, 2002 With the conclusion of the year 2002 a chapter in the island history is closed. This year the overview is rather gloomy as corruption hit the island with cases being filed against former cabinet members, elected public officials, former politicians, contractors and even a governor’s aide were filed in both local and federal court. Political and ideological differences also took a turn for the worse when the so called war of the flags moved from avenues and the winds hills to the University where educated people acted with little, if any model behavior. In addition, the island’s largest opposition party’s president Carlos Pesquera took it upon himself to place a U.S. Flag inside the Women’s Advocate Office. The man who is trying to get himself elected as the governor led numerous followers including elected officials to the Tetuan Street office where after several hours the door was broken down and Pesquera was able to place the flag. To this day Pesquera affirms that his civil rights had been violated. He and four other New Progressive Party leaders face riot charges in state court. Tension rose anew in Vieques when U.S. Navy personnel threw tear gas at demonstrators during the April round of military practices. In the area of sports, Puerto Ricans won many medals in the Central American Games held in San Salvador, Montreal Expos representatives visited the island to study the possibility of playing major league baseball in Puerto Rico and island boxing legend Tito Trinidad announced his retirement. Entertainment was highlighted by numerous weddings that concluded with that of Marc Anthony and Dayanara. Merengue singer Olga Tanon won her second Grammy and the Miss Universe pageant was again held on the island. Months later, the winner Oxana Fedorova, from Russia would be replaced by the first runner up Miss Panama. In addition, TV personality Laura Hernandez was arrested in the Dominican Republic and charged with drug trafficking. What follows is what has now become a tradition for our readers’ year-end review in news. January -The month began with Gov. Sila Calderon’s traditional protocol greeting. The governor surprised everyone when she gave a cold greeting to then Popular Democratic Party Sen. Maribel Rodriguez who at the time was being investigated for allegedly using public funds to pay for a hotel room for someone else as she stayed with her then husband the former Vega Alta Mayor Juan Mane Cruzado. -New Progressive Party President Edison Misla Aldarondo quit his post arguing he would need more time for his legal defense as he has been accused in relation to a bribery and kickback scheme in the sale of the Manati regional hospital. -Gov. Sila Calderon accepted State Election Commission President Juan R. Melecio’s resignation effective Jan 31. - U.S. District Attorney Office filed charges on a federal fraud of $4.3 million against former Education Secretary Victor Fajardo, his deputy secretary, his former secretary and other contractors for the department. -Calderon traveled to Washington for a dinner with President George W. Bush. On her arrival, she stated that during a brief encounter, the President verbally expressed his commitment to have the U.S. Navy leave Vieques on or before May 2003. February -Former Education Secretary Victor Fajardo, Deputy Secretary Jose Omar Cruz and Fajardo’s sister in law Maria Ramos Cubano pleaded guilty to the charges filed against them. -Wal-Mart announced its decision to buy Amigo in a transaction of approximately $200 million. -A Special Independent Prosecutor was assigned to investigate possible violations to the law by Former Natural and Environmental Resources Secretary Daniel Pagan, when auctioning a recycling plant. -Gov. Calderon presented her proposed budget for the fiscal year 2002-03 which included tax increases on SUV’s, alcohol and tobacco. A $100 monthly salary increase for public workers was also announced as well as a $50 million assignment for development of an electoral reform. -Jennifer Gonzalez was elected to fill the seat left vacant by Misla Aldarondo in the House of Representatives. -The House Ethics Committee recommended a 10-day suspension and censure vote for Rep. Angel Cintron, who the committee concluded violated the Full Time Legislator Law when attending law school in his regular working hours. March -PDP Sen. Maribel Rodriguez finally quit her post, months after Calderon’s request that she do so. -Former NPP Mayor Bernardo pleaded guilty in a kickback and bribery scheme at the Municipal Revenue Collection Center (CRIM by its Spanish acronym). -Aibonito Judge Aurelio Gracia Morales was appointed as the new State Elections Commission President. -Former NPP Sen. Freddy Valentin pleaded guilty to conspiracy and conspiracy to extort in a scheme at the Housing Department. - The Senate Ethics Committee made public the transcripts of the hearings against former PPD Sen. Maribel Rodriguez in which her son alleged he had received $10,000 in cash from La Fortaleza’s administrator Fulgencio Correa who gave him $10,000 in cash to place an ad in favor of the governor, during the electoral campaign. -Gov. Pedro Rossello’s right hand at La Fortaleza, Maria De Los Angeles "Angie" Rivera was arrested and charged in federal court with extortion and conspiracy to extort contractors. -An alleged scheme to place ads in favor of the Popular Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate Sila Calderon paid for with funds from her campaign, but given to several candidates was revealed. -Calderon called all those involved to attend a meeting at La Fortaleza, where she argued there was no scheme to violate the Electoral Law, but that the ads had rather been posted, as part of an integrated campaign. Rep. Alida Arizmendi contradicted herself several times during that press conference, placing doubt on the veracity of Calderon’s explanation. April -The French company Ondeo was awarded the administrating contract for the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority. -A small airplane crashed into a car dealership in Carolina, killing its pilot and the car dealership owner. -Military practices started in Vieques and several violent incidents occurred. One of them was the visit by Statehood Reborn Movement members to the Peace and Justice Camp with the intention of expressing their solidarity with the U.S. Navy personnel. Anti-Navy advocates who threw punches at the pro-statehood members considered the action offensive, police had to intervene. Days later, a bus filled with visitors from the Bronx to express their support for the ousting of the Navy became a gas chamber, when passengers were overcome by the tear gas being thrown at them by military personnel, who were trying to calm down protestors outside the Luisa Guadalupe camp. -A SIP was recommended for Hormigueros PDP Mayor Javier Rivera Toro, while another was assigned to investigate former Toa Baja mayor Victor Soto. -The Environmental Quality Board halted the permit process for the construction of the east corridor, better known as Route 66 and ordered a new Environmental Impact Declaration filed. -Carolina Superior Court Judge Dimas Padilla sentenced Edwin Otero Rivera to 99 years in prison after he found him guilty of killing his baby daughter Gabriela by throwing her down the stairs of Plaza Carolina. May -Texas native Humber Garcia was appointed U.S. District Attorney for Puerto Rico. -The government signed a $3.8 billion 10-year contract with Ondeo for Prasa administration. -Gov. Sila Calderon signed into law a tax increase for SUVs cigarettes and alcohol. -Former NPP Rep. Georgie Navarro died and his body was taken to the Capitol. -Puerto Rico was once again the host for the Miss Universe Pageant. -Senate Vice President Velda Gonzalez filed a series of bills aimed at controlling the content of rap videos. June -Vega Alta Mayor Juan Mane Cruzado was found guilty of a federal fraud and kickback scheme. -Police Superintendent Miguel Pereira fired Col. Carlos Haddock and Capt. Teofilo Garcia after an investigation proved their illegal participation in the so-called fake raid. -Former Rincon Mayor Liborio Ruben Caro was found guilty of eight out of 10 charges in federal court for a bribery scheme. -NPP Rep. Angel Cintron quit his post. -Planning Board President Hermenegildo Ortiz quit his post. -NPP President Carlos Pesquera and several dozen followers gathered outside the Women’s Advocate Office in an attempt to place an American flag alongside a Puerto Rican one at the office lobby. -San Juan Superior Judge Elizabeth Linares found cause for arrest on the charge of riot against Pesquera, former Rep. Leo Diaz, Rep. Edwin Mundo, and Electoral Commissioner Thomas Rivera. July -The Commonwealth celebrated it’s Constitution 50th anniversary. The governor announced her decision to demand more powers for the Commonwealth. The celebration served as a reunion for Calderon with her former boss Gov. Rafael Hernandez Colon. -Boxing star Felix "Tito" Trinidad announced his retirement. -NPP Sen. Sergio Pena Clos leaves his caucus and proclaims himself an independent legislator. -The State Elections Commission referred to the Justice Department the audit reports of 12 legislators and two former legislators for possible violations to the Electoral Law. -In a surprise action Police Superintendent Miguel Pereira declined to hand in to the press the mug shots of the four NPP leaders accused of riot arguing a probable cause hearing for trial is yet to take occur. A judge would later rule the mug shots are to be handed in to the press once the person has been booked. The prosecution demanded the tapes of the events from June 20. -NPP President Pesquera declines to take part in Calderon’s proposed Unity and Consensus Committee on Status. Calderon holds a first meeting with Puerto Rican Independence Party President Ruben Berrios in the absence of Pesquera. -Authorities begin to investigate the rape allegations made by a 17-year-old against former House Speaker Edison Misla Aldarondo. His stepdaughter also comes forward and alleges she has been the victim of molestation and sexual abuse since the age of 9. August -A United States Special Operations Forces Aircraft crashes in Los Piruchos sector of Caguas killing it’s ten member crew upon impact. It would take several days for investigators to complete gathering the body pieces of the crew that was burned and dismembered upon impact. -Angie Rivera is found guilty on charges of conspiracy and extortion. Her conspirators former La Fortaleza Deputy Chief of Staff Angel Luis Ocasio and contractor Jose Ventura Asilis pleaded guilty to both charges. -San Juan Superior Court Judge Lourdes Velazques found cause for trial on the charge of riot against four NPP leaders including President Carlos Pesquera. - San Juan Superior Court Judge Ada Rosa Juarbe found cause to arrest Edison Misla Aldarondo on charges of rape and child perversion for Federal authorities determine he has violated his conditions of parole and he is imprisoned at the Federal Detention Center. -Former Corozal Mayor Carlos Serra is sentenced to two years probation for his participation in the Municipal Revenue Collection Center (CRIM by its Spanish acronym) extortion case. September - A Judge finds cause for trial on the charges of rape faced by Misla Aldarondo. -The island commemorates the first anniversary of the terrorist’s attacks of Sept 11. -TV personality Laura Hernandez, her husband and six other people are arrested in the Dominican Republic for drug dealing, inside the couple’s vessel authorities found 70 kilos of cocaine. -During this month round of military practices new incidents between military personnel and demonstrators occur when tear gas was thrown as an alleged response to the stones being thrown at them. - A U.S. Navy aircraft with three men aboard crashes 25 miles southeast of the island. - A SIP files 34 charges against former Education Secretary Fajardo. -Former Vice President Edwin Mundo is elected to fill the post left vacant by Angel Cintron. -Two cops are murdered during this month. Yesenia Nieves was shot during a robbery at a Bayamon public housing project. Agent Wilbert Rodriguez Sepulveda was murdered during a take over of Rio Piedras housing project. -The trial in the federal bribery and extortion scheme within the Education Department begins. -Jorge De Castro Font joins the NPP October -Freddy Valentin is sentenced to 33 moths in prison for money laundering and extortion. -The United States Supreme Court validates the constitutionality of the Blue Ribbon Committee. -At the request of U.S. Assistant District Attorney Guillermo Gil, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Hector Laffitte dismisses all charges against those who have yet to plead guilty in the federal extortion case at the Education Department, after the star witness in the case former Secretary Victor Fajardo committed perjury in the witness stand. His parole was revoked and he was sent immediately to prison. -The U.S. Navy in Florida announces his intention of keeping its word and leaving Vieques by May 2003. -The so-called war of the flags occurred again, this time at the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus. The incidents continued to occur until the demonstrators trying to distribute American flags inside the campus, stopped. -A number of renowned public figures including State Elections Commission President Aurelio Gracia opposed in hearings held by the House of Representatives Gov. Calderon’s Clean Money Act for electoral campaigns. November -The Blue Ribbon Committee refers to the Justice Department a report on the bidding process and irregularities made in the construction of the Millennium Condominium, one of the recommendations includes tearing the facility down. -Milivy Adams who has become the symbol of the Vieques cause looses her battle with cancer at the age of five. She was buried in her native town. Nobody from the Popular Democratic Party attended the child memorial service at the ecumenical chapel outside the Capitol. -The Government Ethics Office filed a complaint before the House Ethics Committee asking the mechanism to investigate Rep. Alida Arizmendi for violations in her tax return form where she claimed several godsons of her as dependants. The legislator filed a lawsuit against the Government Ethics Office and asked the House to dismiss any investigation. -PRASA President Juan Agosto Alicea announced the government decision to file a $350 million lawsuit against its former operator the Puerto Rico Water Company for failure to comply with the contract. -The governor orders reductions of the government agencies expenses in order to comply with her promised $125 increase to public workers salaries. -A federal grand jury investigates possible violations of the law in granting the Super Aqueduct bids. December -This was the month of Calderon’s cabinet shake up Economic Development Secretary Ramon Cantero Frau quit his post, so did Department of Natural and Environmental Resources Secretary Salvador Salas. -Following a referral to the SIP Department of Transportation and Public Work Secretary Jose Izquierdo also quit his post. - Calderon switch heads at the Police Department and Corrections and Rehabilitations. - Less than two weeks after taking on his new responsibility Corrections and Rehabilitations Secretary suffers another blow, in a movie like scenario five inmates escape aboard a helicopter from Las Cucharas prison complex in Ponce. - In federal court the money laundering and extortion trial against former legislator Misla Aldarondo begins. -Hearings to find cause for investigation by the Ethics Committee against Arizmendi also begin. -Former Education Secretary Victor Fajardo is sentenced to 12 years in prison. -The Justice Department tries to impose conditions to approve the purchase of Amigo by Wal-Mart. The big giant take its case to federal court where Judge Juan Perez Gimenez rules the Justice Department has no saying in the sale.
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