Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, looking to patch up a scandal-ridden administration before his own resignation takes effect, named Omar Marrero to be the commonwealth’s new chief financial officer and executive director of the local agency overseeing its debt.
Rosselló appointed Marrero as government CFO and executive director of the Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority on Wednesday afternoon, about 48 hours before the governor has promised to resign his position. In addition to naming Marrero, the governor recommended three others to lead government bodies.
“All have vast experience working in the government,” Rosselló said.
Marrero has worked as executive directors of Puerto Rico’s Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience; Public-Private Partnerships Authority; Convention District Authority; and Port Authority. He was also the secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Marrero has a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Dayton (Ohio), a Juris Doctor from the law school of the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, and a Master of Laws degree from the law school at New York University.
Marrero replaces Christian Sobrino Vega as CFO and head of FAFAA. Sobrino Vega resigned these positions in late July after written chats were publicized that included his saying he’d like to shoot San Juan’s mayor.
Sobrino Vega replaced Rafael Maldonado Gautier in these positions in late June. Rosselló replaced Maldonado Gautier after Maldonado Gautier told a radio station that there were many people underneath him in the Treasury Department attempting extortion and influence peddling.
On Wednesday Rosselló recommended Ottmar Chaves as executive director of the Central Office of Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience; Fermín Fontanés as executive director of the Public-Private Partnerships Authority; and Noelia García Bardales as executive director of the Convention District Authority.
To go into effect, these entities’ board of directors will have to confirm these appointments.
