Puerto Rico faces leadership vacuum

Just days before Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rosselló is set to resign, the politician in line to take the seat announced Sunday she has “no interest” in the position. Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez urged Rosselló to appoint a new secretary of state, who would assume the governorship, before he steps down on Friday.

Who will move into the governor’s mansion? The Puerto Rican Constitution designates the secretary of state as successor to the governor’s seat. But that position was vacated after a scandal over profanity-laced online messages among top Puerto Rican officials forced Luis Rivera Marín to step down from the post. Since Vázquez, who is next in line, has said she does not want the job, it’s unclear what will happen next. Vázquez has not indicated if she will resign to avoid becoming governor.

Dig deeper: Puerto Rico’s scandal, called “Chatgate” led to the resignations of dozens of officials and brought hundreds of thousands out to protest. WORLD editor in chief Marvin Olasky visited the U.S. territory in 2015 and has kept an eye on the island’s perennial financial woes since then.