Puerto Rico Governor’s Office is Occupied, Maybe by a Governor

  • Only one chamber confirms Pierluisi, but he claims the office
  • Senate inaction leaves cloud of uncertainty after long crisis

Ricardo Rossello

Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
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After days of back-room politicking and wrangling over thorny constitutional questions, Puerto Rico has a new governor. Perhaps.

The bankrupt island’s House of Representatives on Friday confirmed Pedro Pierluisi as secretary of state, the official who would succeed Governor Ricardo Rossello, who resigned at 5 p.m. But the Senate won’t consider the question until next week, and it’s unclear whether Pierluisi can hold the job.