Puerto Rico Braces for Political Strife07/07 06:56

   

   SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Puerto Rico's governor denied allegations of 
obstruction of justice late Monday as the main opposition party demanded she be 
investigated and hinted at a possible impeachment process in what could be the 
latest round of political upheaval for the U.S. territory.

   In a brief statement, Gov. Wanda Vzquez for the first time acknowledged an 
alleged investigation that the island's Department of Justice is supposedly 
conducting against her, saying she was never told about it. She also denied 
recently firing the former justice secretary in alleged retribution for leading 
the investigation.

   The details of the alleged investigation were not immediately clear.

   Vzquez declined further comment, saying only that she would speak further on 
the issue on Tuesday.

   "I will share all details up front as I've done my whole career. With the 
truth," she said.

   Vzquez's statement comes after she announced late Friday that she had 
accepted the resignation of former justice secretary Dennise Longo. No further 
details were given at the time.

   The governor released the statement hours after an incident at the Puerto 
Rico Office of the Special Independent Prosecutor's Panel. Nydia Cotto, a 
former judge who serves as the panel's presdient, told The Associated Press 
that someone from the Department of Justice was about to drop off files on 
Monday related to six cases slated for investigation but abruptly left after 
receiving a call from an unidentified person at the Department of Justice.

   "That has never happened before," she said.

   Cotto declined to identify the people named in those cases or share any 
other details, saying they were confidential.

   Puerto Rico's newest justice secretary, Wandymar Burgos, said in a statement 
that she requested the documents on the six cases because she had just found 
out about them on Monday and needed to know what they were about.

   "Let it be abundantly clear to all the people of Puerto Rico that all 
investigations of merit will be carried out to the last consequence, regardless 
of the person involved," she said.

   Before the governor released her statement, the opposition Popular 
Democratic Party held a press conference in which leaders announced they had 
requested a legislative investigation into the allegations of obstruction of 
justice. It was not immediately clear if the leader of Puerto Rico's House of 
Representatives, who is a member of Vzquez's party, would grant permission for 
such an investigation.

   "The people need to hear from the governor herself," said Anbal Torres, 
president of the main opposition party.

   Vzque served as Puerto Rico's justice secretary before the island's Supreme 
Court ruled that she should be sworn in as governor after former Gov. Ricardo 
Rossell stepped down nearly a year ago following massive protests.