Gov. Fortuño and his family hosted the Olympic torch ceremony at La Fortaleza on Saturday ahead of the opening of the Special Olympics Latin America Games nest week. After a torch relay through several island municipalities, the torch will return to the capital on Feb. 18.
First Lady Lucé Vela, San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini, Special Olympics’ Puerto Rico Board President Juan Bonilla and Sports and Recreation Secretary Henry Neumann attended the ceremony.
The Olympic torch arrived early Sunday morning at Isla Grande Airport in San Juan, where it began its 10-city relay. Santini lit the torch at the Dos Hermanos Bridge and trekked to La Fortaleza along with supporters of mentally disabled people.
“This torch symbolizes the spirit of strength, responsibility and discipline these young athletes exhibit every day,” Fortuño said as he received the torch from the mayor.
Vela said that the games are an example of how people can overcome physical or cognitive obstacles to reach their goals.
“The torch’s light will guide our athletes and fans to be part of the Special Olympics Latin America games,” said Vela. “For me and Luis, the Special Olympics team is the maximum example of excellence and perseverance.”
The games will take place later this month at several sport facilities on the island and will include 1,100 athletes from, in addition to Puerto Rico, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Guest delegations from the U.S., Italy, Jamaica and the Virgin Islands, among others, were also invited.
Neumann said the games are important for Puerto Rican sports since the athletes have “a great opportunity to represent their country, in their own country.”

Visit to Salinas
In related news, Fortuño visited the National Guard’s Camp Santiago in Salinas to oversee training of 1,000 officers that will contribute to quell Puerto Rico’s crime wave. Police Superintendent José Figueroa Sancha, Acting Justice Secretary William Somoza, and the National Guard General Assistant Colonel Víctor Torres accompanied the governor. Less that a week ago, Fortuño promised to activate the National Guard on preventive patrolling in conjunction with the police in high-crime areas. Training began Saturday and will last for four days. The National Guard will receive training on crime scene protection, ethics and human relations, mechanics of arrest, search and intervention, vehicle checkpoint management, and identification of drugs and narcotics
“I'm sure with this intensive training National Guard members will be ready to help the police and fight crime on our island so we all can feel safe while walking our streets,” the governor said.