Popular Democratic Party campaign closes in Puerto Rico
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| Published on Monday, November 3, 2008 |
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By María Miranda Sierra
Caribbean Net News Puerto Rico Correspondent
Email: miranda@caribbeannetnews.com
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico: As thousands of Popular Democratic Party faithful chanted “four more years,” and “Aníbal stay calm, the people are with you,” Puerto Rico Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá gave his campaign closing speech Sunday afternoon at the Sagrado Corazón Urban Train Station parking lot in Santurce.
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| Anibal Acevedo Vila, governor of Puerto Rico. Photo: Bloomberg News |
Sporting jeans and a red and white shirt, the governor spoke to supporters after various Popular Democratic Party candidates, leaders and his family officially introduced him to the crowd before offering his message.
“Let’s go forward! We are going to win!” were the first words the governor said as he began to speak to thousands of party faithful chanting “Aníbal stay calm, the people are with you.”
“I am calm…the ones on the other side [the New Progressive Party (NPP)] are the ones that are nervous,” he responded.
Acevedo Vilá, who is running for his second term at La Fortaleza, immediately began to compare his party’s government platform with the NPP’s.
“In two days, in 48 hours, this next Tuesday, you Puerto Rican brothers and sisters will make a transcendental decision for Puerto Rico. On Tuesday you will choose between two very different paths. You will have the option of voting (for a party) based on hate and animosity or you can vote (for the party that represents) hope and a better Puerto Rico,” Acevedo Vilá said.
“Listen…there are a lot of people here today. This is better then it was four years ago,” the governor said referring to his 2004 campaign closing held at the exact location.
Among the main topics touched by the governor throughout his speech, were the elimination of the sales and use tax, tax relief for all those citizens that make less than $30, 00 a year, the creation of the Puerto Rican Green Act aimed at investing in renewable energy and reduce the island’s dependency on petroleum and his proposal on treating drug addicts as people who are sick rather than criminalizing them for their addiction.
“If you want to eliminate the sales and use tax, if you want real tax relief, a government committed to small businesses, vote for the Popular Democratic Party,” Acevedo Vilá shouted.
The governor said that on Tuesday, Puerto Ricans will have the chance to vote for the leader they want running the island.
“Governing Puerto Rico is not easy. The problems are serious…You need a leadership with the will to face Puerto Rico’s problems. You have the option of voting for someone that cannot even direct his own party, in his own party they don’t even listen to him. If he can’t lead his party he can not govern Puerto Rico,” Acevedo Vilá said in obvious reference to his main political contender New Progressive Party Gubernatorial Candidate Luis Fortuño and the disagreement he’s had in the past with some members of his party.
The governor said that he is proud of his political team, while Fortuño has tried to “magically hide” his legislative team.
“Last night [at the NPP campaign closing event] he didn’t even dare to bring them up to the stage. The people know better than that, and will not fall into that magical occult trap. When Luis asks for a vote for him, he’s asking for a vote for his lawmakers that have caused so much harm and shame to Puerto Rico,” Acevedo Vilá shouted.
Acevedo Vilá said that he knows some Puerto Ricans are still not sure who they should vote for come Election Day and given the fact that the island is going through some “tough times” makes it harder to make a decision.
“And I know that some of you were looking for some kind of magical hope that would solve Puerto Rico’s problems. And I know that a few months ago some of you hoped that Luis could do that. But the people have realized that he lacks vision, character, will…His party represents four years of division and confrontation, because his party’s leaders don’t listen to him and don’t respect him,” Acevedo Vilá said. “What has happened with Luis is like the fireworks that light up for a while…but then they turn off and leave you in complete darkness. That is not what you need, it is not what you claim, and it is not what Puerto Rico deserves.” | | | | Reads : 628 |
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