(New York, June 4, 2014) — Today, Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro García Padilla nominated Maite Oronoz Rodríguez to the commonwealth’s highest court. Lambda Legal released the following statement from Staff Attorney Omar Gonzalez-Pagan:
"Maite Oronoz Rodríguez’s nomination makes judicial history. This is a significant step forward towards achieving a judiciary that reflects Puerto Rico’s full and rich diversity.
"We are pleased with Governor García Padilla’s decision. In April, Lambda Legal sent Gov. García Padilla a letter urging that when nominating a new justice to the Puerto Rico Supreme Court or making any other judicial nominations, he ensure that the judicial philosophy of his nominees includes a commitment to rule fairly and impartially in cases involving LGBT and HIV-positive litigants and to seek thoughtful jurists who reflect Puerto Rico’s rich diversity. It is critical that the judiciary be composed of judges who truly represent and understand the issues faced by all who are subject to their rulings.
"Courts matter to the LGBT community in Puerto Rico and across the country. We must care about the courts if we care about our rights, our families, our neighbors and our society. We look forward to continuing our work in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico on behalf of LGBT people and people living with HIV."
** Gonzalez-Pagan is fluent in Spanish**