Former Democratic congressman Luis Gutiérrez, responding to Puerto Rico Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz’s suggestion that he had appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, said on NotiUno’s "Exclusiva" program with Professor Ángel Rosa on Radio 630 that he has not consumed alcohol in more than 10 years. Gutiérrez confirmed he faces a health condition that affects his vision and has caused, he said, difficulties communicating verbally.
"I suffer from a condition that has begun to affect my speech. I have a vision impairment that has affected my ability to communicate verbally," he said. The former Puerto Rican Democratic congressman called Rivera Schatz "malcriado" (ill-mannered) in reaction to the Senate leader’s publication.
Gutiérrez had shown difficulty expressing himself during an interview given in Ponce, in the context of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP).