SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Jenniffer González Colón was sworn in Thursday as Puerto Rico’s new governor during a normally ebullient ceremony overshadowed by widespread anger over a recent blackout that hit the U.S. territory.

González, a Republican aligned with President-elect Donald Trump, emerged victorious in the Nov. 5 election, with her pro-statehood New Progressive Party securing a historic third consecutive term. She has pledged to stabilize the Caribbean island’s crumbling power grid.

Before the commencement of the ceremony held at Puerto Rico’s scenic Capitol, González attended a Mass surrounded by family and supporters. During the Mass, she expressed her gratitude and asked for divine wisdom to fulfill her promises to the citizens of Puerto Rico: “What better than to come first to thank God and to ask God to give me the wisdom, the fortitude, and the tools to fulfill everything I promised the people of Puerto Rico,” she told reporters.

However, her ceremony was disrupted by growing protests, exemplified by a demonstrator who proclaimed, “Jenniffer, we came for you. Puerto is without power.” Many residents remain skeptical about her ability to enacting meaningful change, as evidenced by protester Yara Humarán Martínez, who stated, “I don’t have any hope that she will change anything.”

In her initial moves, González has committed to appointing an energy “czar” to assess potential contractual breaches regarding the private company Luma Energy, which manages the island's transmission and distribution of electricity. Nevertheless, canceling any contracts requires approval from Puerto Rico’s Energy Bureau and a federal oversight board.

This comes in the wake of a catastrophic blackout early Tuesday, which left around 1.3 million customers without power just as the island prepared for New Year’s Eve celebrations. Although electricity has been restored to 98.9% of customers, many areas experienced outages again on New Year’s Day, highlighting the fragile stability of Puerto Rico's power system, as noted by Luma Energy: “The stability of the system is fragile.”

To ensure a smooth swearing-in ceremony, backup generators were deployed due to the ongoing power struggles. The vibrant ceremony was attended by supporters and critics alike, with many hopeful about González’s competency as both a mother and a professional in advocating for crucial improvements in education, crime reduction, and healthcare.

In past months, González had risen from being a congressional representative to defeating former governor Pedro Pierluisi in their party's primary before winning the general election with over 526,000 votes, approximately 41%. This election marked a historic moment as it was the first time Puerto Rico's Popular Democratic Party had come in third in a gubernatorial race.

While González faces immediate challenges concerning the island's deteriorating electrical infrastructure, she also inherits a beleaguered economy. Puerto Rico declared itself unable to manage its public debt exceeding $70 billion in 2015, resulting in the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Moreover, the Electric Power Authority, which still holds significant debt, represents an ongoing hurdle for the new administration.

Pledging to pursue affordable housing, lower utility bills, and improvements in public health and safety, González has also expressed intentions to advocate for Puerto Rico’s admission as the 51st state. This ambition hinges on approval from both Congress and the U.S. president, following a recent nonbinding referendum that revealed a majority public sentiment favoring statehood, with 59% of voters supporting the change.

González is now poised to address these pressing issues while navigating a complex political landscape, as reported by various sources including the Associated Press and Los Angeles Times.