By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - This afternoon I caught up with Jorge A. Santini, the Mayor of San Juan in Puerto Rico. US Army Sergeant Zak Hernandez was Puerto Rican, and last week the Puerto Rican Senate issued an official statement condemning the election of Pedro Miguel Gonzalez to the Presidency of the National Assembly of Deputies. Of course Zak Hernandez, at the time of this death, simultaneously a Puerto Rican, a US Citizen, and a soldier in the US Army. The issue of Pedro Miguel Gonzalez is an issue of national pride for all Puerto Ricans, Free Trade Agreement or no Free Trade Agreement, and it's on their radar screen in a big way, both on the island in Puerto Rican communities in the United States. (more)
Panama-Guide: What are the perceptions in Puerto Rico with regards to the situation in Panama with Pedro Miguel Gonzalez?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: It's a very negative impact. Zak Hernandez was not only a Puerto Rican but also a member of the US Armed Forces. You know the Puerto Rican Senate issued a resolution rejecting or opposing the designation of Mr. Pedro Miguel Gonzalez. I think that his election could be a big risk for the government of Panama and the government of the United States and their relationship. I think that a person who is subject to a very serious criminal investigation in the United States should not be elected or should not accept the position, regardless if he is appointed or elected. I think he should resign from his position and he should cooperate with the authorities from the United States with regards to the whole investigation until the truth is discovered.Panama-Guide: Panamanians are very sensitive to any kind of outside influence from the United States or from any other country really, but particularly the United States, in issues of that they consider to be internal Panamanian politics. I expect your statements will be poorly received here. There have been several US Senators and Congressmen who have come out and said basically the same thing - that it's a serious charge and that Pedro Miguel Gonzalez should step aside and that it's going to be a problem. It's a serious issue here in Panama, because they want to run their own show.Mayor Jorge A. Santini: I am not intervening with the decisions of the government of Panama, but we are talking about a Puerto Rican, a US citizen, and the relations between the United States and Panama that could be affected by the election of Mister Pedro Miguel Gonzalez. So I think that the government of Panama should reconsider. And not only the government. Pedro Miguel Gonzalez himself should reconsider if he should stay in the position or if he should resign in order to let the government of the United States and the government of Panama work together on some initiatives that are very important for both Panama and the United States.Panama-Guide: Did you come here specifically because of this issue?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: No, I am here because I was invited by an educational congress to receive and review our administrative initiatives to our education system. Tomorrow I will be giving a speech and presentation before an Inter American Congress of Educational Leaders, but the issue of Pedro Miguel Gonzalez is a very sensitive issue so I'm getting asked about it.Panama-Guide: How much attention is this issue getting among Puerto Ricans in both Puerto Rico and in large Puerto Rican communities in places like New York and other states in the US?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: I think this issue is a very sensitive and important issue not only for Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico, but as well among Puerto Ricans who are living all throughout the United States, as well as among citizens of the United States who are not Puerto Rican. Among the people of Panama there is a great concern here. I have been speaking with a lot of people from Panama and they are very concerned about the possible effects of this issue.Panama-Guide: With regards to the potential political fallout in the United States the primary focus has been on the Free Trade Agreement, but to a certain extend that ignores Zak Hernandez as an individual and as a Puerto Rican. I mean, people are saying Pedro Miguel Gonzalez should step down because of the potential negative impact on the upcoming vote on the Free Trade Agreement. Do you think he should still step aside, pending Free Trade Agreement or not?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: I think the congressmen, the people of the United States, and the government of the United States, consider Zak Hernandez not so much as a Puerto Rican but as a US citizen, and I think they will take that into consideration in the process of the discussion about the Free Trade Agreement.Panama-Guide: Has the issue of Pedro Miguel Gonzalez gotten on the radar screens in San Juan? Are people talking about it? Do they know what's going on? Are they discussing it?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: Yes, absolutely. As I said earlier, the Puerto Rican Senate issued a resolution and a petition to Mr. Pedro Miguel Gonzalez. The President of the Senate will be visiting Panama to talk to the governmental authorities here.Panama-Guide: The President of the Puerto Rican Senate will be visiting Panama? Mayor Jorge A. Santini: Yes. Kenneth McClintock Hernández. Panama-Guide: Do you know when?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: No, I don't. Panama-Guide: Well, thank you very much for taking the time, and it's nice to have met you.Mayor Jorge A. Santini: My pleasure.Copyright 2007 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
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Panama-Guide: What are the perceptions in Puerto Rico with regards to the situation in Panama with Pedro Miguel Gonzalez?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: It's a very negative impact. Zak Hernandez was not only a Puerto Rican but also a member of the US Armed Forces. You know the Puerto Rican Senate issued a resolution rejecting or opposing the designation of Mr. Pedro Miguel Gonzalez. I think that his election could be a big risk for the government of Panama and the government of the United States and their relationship. I think that a person who is subject to a very serious criminal investigation in the United States should not be elected or should not accept the position, regardless if he is appointed or elected. I think he should resign from his position and he should cooperate with the authorities from the United States with regards to the whole investigation until the truth is discovered.Panama-Guide: Panamanians are very sensitive to any kind of outside influence from the United States or from any other country really, but particularly the United States, in issues of that they consider to be internal Panamanian politics. I expect your statements will be poorly received here. There have been several US Senators and Congressmen who have come out and said basically the same thing - that it's a serious charge and that Pedro Miguel Gonzalez should step aside and that it's going to be a problem. It's a serious issue here in Panama, because they want to run their own show.Mayor Jorge A. Santini: I am not intervening with the decisions of the government of Panama, but we are talking about a Puerto Rican, a US citizen, and the relations between the United States and Panama that could be affected by the election of Mister Pedro Miguel Gonzalez. So I think that the government of Panama should reconsider. And not only the government. Pedro Miguel Gonzalez himself should reconsider if he should stay in the position or if he should resign in order to let the government of the United States and the government of Panama work together on some initiatives that are very important for both Panama and the United States.Panama-Guide: Did you come here specifically because of this issue?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: No, I am here because I was invited by an educational congress to receive and review our administrative initiatives to our education system. Tomorrow I will be giving a speech and presentation before an Inter American Congress of Educational Leaders, but the issue of Pedro Miguel Gonzalez is a very sensitive issue so I'm getting asked about it.Panama-Guide: How much attention is this issue getting among Puerto Ricans in both Puerto Rico and in large Puerto Rican communities in places like New York and other states in the US?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: I think this issue is a very sensitive and important issue not only for Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico, but as well among Puerto Ricans who are living all throughout the United States, as well as among citizens of the United States who are not Puerto Rican. Among the people of Panama there is a great concern here. I have been speaking with a lot of people from Panama and they are very concerned about the possible effects of this issue.Panama-Guide: With regards to the potential political fallout in the United States the primary focus has been on the Free Trade Agreement, but to a certain extend that ignores Zak Hernandez as an individual and as a Puerto Rican. I mean, people are saying Pedro Miguel Gonzalez should step down because of the potential negative impact on the upcoming vote on the Free Trade Agreement. Do you think he should still step aside, pending Free Trade Agreement or not?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: I think the congressmen, the people of the United States, and the government of the United States, consider Zak Hernandez not so much as a Puerto Rican but as a US citizen, and I think they will take that into consideration in the process of the discussion about the Free Trade Agreement.Panama-Guide: Has the issue of Pedro Miguel Gonzalez gotten on the radar screens in San Juan? Are people talking about it? Do they know what's going on? Are they discussing it?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: Yes, absolutely. As I said earlier, the Puerto Rican Senate issued a resolution and a petition to Mr. Pedro Miguel Gonzalez. The President of the Senate will be visiting Panama to talk to the governmental authorities here.Panama-Guide: The President of the Puerto Rican Senate will be visiting Panama? Mayor Jorge A. Santini: Yes. Kenneth McClintock Hernández. Panama-Guide: Do you know when?Mayor Jorge A. Santini: No, I don't. Panama-Guide: Well, thank you very much for taking the time, and it's nice to have met you.Mayor Jorge A. Santini: My pleasure.Copyright 2007 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.
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