Calls for Probe Into Quashed Puerto Rico Prison Voting Investigation

Federal and local officials in Puerto Rico have formally requested investigations into an alleged scheme where a prison gang coerced inmates to vote for newly elected Governor Jenniffer González-Colón. These calls for oversight emerged immediately after the publication of a ProPublica report detailing how a federal investigation into the matter was halted following the 2024 elections.

The report reveals that prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico uncovered evidence of a gang, known as Group 31 or Los Tiburones, coercing inmates to vote. Sources indicate that supervisors instructed prosecutors to exclude voting-related charges against inmates and staff after the 2024 elections. Following President Donald Trump's inauguration, prosecutors were reportedly told to abandon the probe into potential political ties entirely.

In response to the findings, Puerto Rico's resident commissioner in the U.S. Congress, Pablo José Hernández Rivera, has urged the U.S. House Judiciary Committee to launch a federal probe. Hernández Rivera stated that the report details facts that no elected official can ignore, citing statistical anomalies where 83 per cent of inmates voted for González-Colón's party compared to her overall 41 per cent victory in the general election.

Concurrently, the territory's House of Representatives has introduced a resolution ordering its Committee on Public Security to investigate. Rep. Héctor Ferrer Santiago described the allegations as serious and asserted that the House has an inescapable duty to investigate. Leaders of the Puerto Rican Independence Party have also called for an inquiry into the matter.

Governor González-Colón denies any wrongdoing, stating she has stood firmly against corruption throughout her career. She categorically rejects attempts to link her to unlawful conduct and told local news outlets that she has absolutely nothing to do with the issues pointed out in the report. However, she has not directly addressed the specific allegation regarding WhatsApp messages between her campaign and a prison gang leader during the primary campaign.

An indictment filed in December 2024 charged 34 gang members with drug distribution, money laundering and firearm possession but notably excluded charges related to the alleged voting coercion scheme. While some defendants have taken plea agreements, most cases remain pending. Advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Puerto Rico, argue that abandoning the investigation undermines trust in democracy and are calling for full transparency regarding the evidence collected.