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Bhatia: Special Session Should not be Held before Elections

By on August 17, 2016

SAN JUAN—An eventual special session by the Puerto Rico Legislature must be held after the Nov. 8 general elections and not before, Senate President Eduardo Bhatia said Tuesday.

Senate President Eduardo Bhatia

Senate President Eduardo Bhatia

The legislator for the Popular Democratic Party added that, if a special session is convoked before the elections, any pending bills could be used as political bait.

“The session would be highly politicized, [with legislators] vying not to address the important issues in the country, but to enter into debates and try to capitalize politically,” he said.

He clarified that his remarks should not be interpreted as a rejection of convoking a special session, but insisted in having any bills slated under discussion to have a clear consensus before they go to the floor to see it they have the necessary votes.

Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla anticipated earlier this week that he could convoke a special session sometime this month, and a second one just after the elections.

Bhatia said he has talked with Fortaleza and the House of Representatives to identify the bills that could go on the floor during the special session, if convoked.

The most urgent matter concerns some appointments that the governor is slated to carry out sometime soon, but which haven’t yet been identified, Bhatia noted.

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