Hiram Torres Montalvo elected mayor of Cataño

Hiram Torres Montalvo has been elected as the new mayor of Cataño following a special election held to fill the vacancy left by the death of former mayor Julio Alicea Vasallo. Torres Montalvo, who currently serves as the secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO), secured 1,725 votes, defeating his closest competitor, Bethzaida Rodríguez Torres, who received 1,484 votes.

Governor Jenniffer González Colón attended the victory celebrations and congratulated Torres Montalvo, describing him as a dedicated public servant. During the event, the Governor experienced a brief incident where she lost her balance and fell from a motorcycle while navigating a curve, though she quickly recovered to continue participating in the festivities.

With Torres Montalvo's election, the DACO will be led by subsecretary Erwin “Farito” Álvarez. The official swearing-in date for the new mayor will be announced once Torres Montalvo completes the necessary requirements from the Office of Government Ethics.