Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock enjoys Gov. Fortuño’s complete confidence, the governor said Tuesday when asked about reports McClintock may be part of the federal investigation into New Progressive Party Sen. Héctor Martínez’s alleged links to local drug traffickers.
“Of course,” Fortuño said when asked whether he fully trusted McClintock.
“Let’s talk about facts, not rumors,” said Fortuño, who added he would comment in the future if and when there are any accusations or arrests arising from the federal probe, while defending his record against corruption.
“I have reacted when I have to react against corruption … But not before there is an accusation or an order [of arrest],” Fortuño said during an inspection of infrastructure works in Ponce that use recycled materials.
When asked whether the federal probe could personally taint him due to McClintock’s close role in his run for governor, Fortuño said, “I’d love to hear your opinion, but I won my candidacy in the street, doing the work and looking for support.”
Fortuño also warned Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez not to get involved in island status politics when asked about reports, which have not been confirmed, that Chávez is providing economic support to left-wing groups such as the Congreso Nacional Hostosiano that support Puerto Rican independence, something group President Héctor Pesquera denied Tuesday.
NPP Sen. Roberto Arango brought the alleged reports to public light, saying Tuesday that he would lobby for the U.S. to shut down its embassy in Venezuela in response to Venezuela’s supposed intervention in Puerto Rican affairs.
“It is worrisome that information continues to come to light about possible intervention from outside in matters that are up to us to decide,” Fortuño said. “We decide our status. We decide who will be our leaders. It is not up to anybody outside of Puerto Rico to choose for us, and we are not going to permit this.”
During his visit to Ponce, Fortuño inspected a portion of PR-10 that is being paved with a new mixture of asphalt and 4,000 recycled tires as part of a pilot project to see whether this is a viable way to solve the problem of the accumulation of 6 million used tires a year in Puerto Rico.
“I am firmly committed to an aggressive recycling program in Puerto Rico and it is with projects such as this one that we will be on the vanguard of recycling technology,” Fortuño said. Other states such as Arizona, California and Florida are using similar asphalt mixes with shredded old tires to pave their roads, Fortuño said, adding the new mix is more durable, decreases traffic noise and is less prone to cracking.
The governor also visited a new $2.4 million bridge on PR-139 that is made out of polymer-fiber from recycled plastic products. The governor underlined that this type of construction is equally as durable as concrete, but that poly-fiber construction is much quicker. “It took 23 days to put up this bridge, when it would have taken one year to build under traditional construction methods,” Fortuño said.
During his tour, Fortuño said he is fully committed to fulfilling dictates of a court ruling upholding the central government’s investment in the Ponce en Marcha program as well as the completion of the $250-plus million Port of the Americas transshipment port.
“Since I was resident commissioner I have been committed to Ponce as well as the Port of the Americas. The port is going forward and it is an important project of our administration,” said Fortuño, adding that his administration is investing $100 million in infrastructure in the southern part of the island, $60 million of which is focused in Ponce, which has created 2,850 new construction jobs.
“The economy is starting to turn around in the south and in all Puerto Rico … I have no doubt that Puerto Rico[’s economy] will flower once again,” Fortuño said.