On Tuesday, lawyer Alexandra Lúgaro announced she would be running for governor of Puerto Rico in the 2020 elections during a speech at the Plazuela La Rogativa in Old San Juan.
The 38-year-old politico said she was inspired to run for the highest office on the archipelago again after the massive summer protests that unseated former Gov. Ricardo Rosselló.
“The same thing we did in the summer we have to replicate it day by day. We have to unite and transform outrage into action. In these moments, the historical situation, the responsibility I have and the incredible love that I feel for my country has put me here, aspiring as a candidate for governor,” she told a crowd of dozens, according to El Nuevo Día.
In 2016, Lúgaro became the first female independent candidate in Puerto Rico’s history. An underdog, she shocked many when she garnered 175,831 votes, putting her in third place with 11.13% of the votes. This time around, the candidate is running under the Victoria Citizen Movement (MVC) insignia.
During her announcement, Lúgaro talked about some of her plans should she make it to La Fortaleza, the governor’s mansion. The candidate stressed withdrawing funding from the controversial fiscal control board, auditing the public debt and presenting a “coherent” economic development project. She also discussed education and a universal health care plan. Additionally, she focused on the diaspora, stressing the need to create opportunities for them to return.
“They have paid the highest price for this crisis, which is not being able to live in this beautiful place. If something unites us, it is precisely to make Puerto Rico become that space where you [the diaspora] can return,” she said.
Lúgaro isn’t the only big-name politico running for governor in Puerto Rico. Under the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, Pedro Pierluisi, the former resident commissioner of Puerto Rico in the U.S. Congress, is running. For the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, as well as candidates Eduardo Bhatia, Charlie Delgado and Juan Zaragoza, have announced bids for the top spot as well.
“We have to reach a point where we understand that the route to the country that we deserve is a route where we have to agree as people who are [pro-statehood, pro-independence, pro-commonwealth and] people who have no status preference. That feat that began in the summer we have to complete it in November 2020,” Lúgaro said.
