Maite D. Oronoz Rodríguez, chief justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court, defended the independence of the Judicial Branch on Wednesday and said no one, regardless of the office held, can interfere in court decisions. She was reacting to reports that Governor Jenniffer González Colón allegedly communicated directly with Supreme Court justices to influence the case filed to cancel the contract with the LUMA Energy consortium.
The robe does not respond to pressure or to particular interests.
Her statements followed a categorical rejection of the allegations by Jean Peña Payano, La Fortaleza’s secretary of public affairs, while LUMA president and chief executive Janisse Quiñones demanded an "immediate investigation." Oronoz Rodríguez said judicial independence is one of the fundamental pillars of the democratic system. She said it means judges resolve disputes with impartiality, in accordance with the law and the arguments presented to the court, free of pressure, political interests or outside influence.
She added that it is not only an institutional guarantee but also a fundamental guarantee for citizens, who have the right to have their disputes resolved under the law and not through arbitrary criteria, and that it is an individual and non-waivable responsibility of everyone who wears the robe. She said she trusts that the justices of the Supreme Court are and will continue to be faithful to that duty.
"The robe does not respond to pressure or to particular interests. It responds only to the Constitution, to the laws and to the obligation to dispense justice with absolute independence," she said.