House confirms Verónica Ferrayoli as secretary of state; names new leaders for State Elections Commission

The Puerto Rico House of Representatives confirmed Verónica Ferrayoli Ornedo as secretary of state and approved Jorge Rafael Rivera Rueda and Cynthia (Cynthia/Cindian spelled variably in the record) Irizarri Casiano as president and alternate president of the State Elections Commission on April 7, 2025.

House members voted on all three nominations in a roll-call process. The secretary of state nomination passed with 36 votes in favor and 14 opposed. The nominations of Rivera Rueda and Irizarri Casiano passed with 37 votes in favor and 13 opposed. After the votes the chamber notified the governor that it had given its advice and consent.

The confirmations followed review in the House Government Committee and multiple public hearings held that day. Parés Otero, president of the House Government Committee, told the chamber the committee reviewed the nominees’ files and held public sessions in which the nominees answered questions: “la licenciada Verónica Ferraioni Ornedo tuvo una excelente vista pública, donde tuvo una total apertura a las preguntas,” he said during his presentation, summarizing the committee’s recommendation.

Opponents, led by Representative Denis Márquez, focused on what they described as unresolved administrative and ethical concerns in Ferrayoli’s file. Márquez cited the nominee’s acknowledgment in the hearing that she had failed to file Puerto Rico income tax returns for two consecutive years and raised a separate ethics matter involving a request for inhibition linked to a spouse or family associate. As Márquez put it during floor remarks, the nominee “reconoció la violación a la ley, reconoció que no había radicado durante dos años consecutivos planillas de contribución sobre ingreso en Puerto Rico.” He said the combination of the tax filing issue and pending inhibition requests raised governance and conflict-of-interest questions that merited a negative vote from his delegation.

Supporters said the committee had access to the full file and that Ferrayoli had answered questions in both an executive review and a public hearing. Representative Ramos Rivera, speaking in favor, framed support in gender and professional terms: “Hoy como mujer me siento sumamente orgullosa de la nominación de la licenciada Ferrayoli,” she said, and noted Ferrayoli’s work on the administration’s platform and on proposed modernizations at the Department of State.

Several members raised procedural concerns during the debate: some minority representatives said they had insufficient time to examine the nominee’s full file in advance and requested private meetings to discuss allegations they had received. Representative Hernández Concepción said minority members had access to the file in a morning executive review but that private follow-up with committee leadership would have been appropriate for any FBI or ethics-related allegations mentioned in the public record.

The chamber also debated objections about potential operational friction between the Department of State and the Office of the Governor because the record shows a request for inhibition (to avoid conflicts) involving persons whose roles intersect with both offices. Speakers noted that any inhibition letters issued by the Office of Government Ethics had not been made fully public in the chamber record at the time of the vote.

After the roll-call confirmation, the House asked the governor to be notified of its advice and consent. The three confirmed nominees were brought to the floor for recognition following the vote.

Votes at a glance: Secretary of State — confirmed 36–14. Jorge Rafael Rivera Rueda, president of the State Elections Commission — confirmed 37–13. Cynthia Irizarri Casiano, alternate president, State Elections Commission — confirmed 37–13.

The nominations now proceed to the next step of formal notification to the governor and, as appropriate, installation in their respective offices.