Mamdani and Hochul at SOMOS: A «New Day» for Puerto Rico After Elections

The presence of Mamdani in Puerto Rico and that of New York Governor Kathy Hochul marked the SOMOS conference in San Juan on Friday, November 6. New York City Mayor and democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, who called on Democrats for economic results, stated that the favorable results for his party in the midterm elections will have a significant impact on the island. Hochul, who was just reelected, spoke of «a new day for Puerto Rico,» according to EFE.

• Mamdani argued that what is described in Puerto Rico as a natural crisis is actually «a political crisis» and opposed ICE operations.
• Mamdani and independentist leader Juan Dalmau, along with other politicians, rejected migrant raids on the island.
• Hochul announced an oncology training scholarship between Roswell Park and Puerto Rico health centers.

Why it matters: Puerto Ricans on the island do not vote in presidential or midterm elections, but the decisions made in those elections affect the island. Communities raised issues such as the energy crisis, water cuts, gentrification, and migrant raids at SOMOS.

Mamdani: «A Political Crisis»

Mamdani met in San Juan with the Hispanic Federation and attended SOMOS for the second consecutive year. He then held a press conference at the headquarters of the non-profit organization El Puente, in the Río Piedras neighborhood.

There, he said: «What is described here in Puerto Rico as a natural crisis is, in reality, a political crisis, the result of political decisions.» He also pointed out: «We have heard testimonies from people who do not want to leave their homes for fear of ICE here in Puerto Rico. These are the same stories we hear in New York.» He explained that he opposes the operations because, in his opinion, they do not contribute to public safety, but rather put it at risk.

Hochul agreed that, after these elections, a new chapter opens for Puerto Rico. «What we have seen in the last two years is really an abandonment of that commitment, and we hope that all those wounds will heal, ensuring that we continue to provide resources for resilience, energy projects, construction, as well as for the restoration of healthcare and nutritional programs,» she said. And she added: «So I would say that it is a new day for Puerto Rico after these elections.»

During the meeting, it was also announced that the Hispanic Federation and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLBNY) created an alliance with an initial commitment of $280,000 to strengthen the island’s community resilience centers.

United Front Against ICE Raids

Dalmau, general secretary of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) and former candidate for governor in 2024, wrote on social media after a conference at the Caribe Hilton hotel: «Today, along with Zohran Mamdani, we raised our voices in defense of the human rights and dignity of our migrant brothers and sisters. Puerto Rico cannot become a territory of persecution against our Caribbean and Latin American brothers and sisters.»

Dalmau also rejected a measure approved in the Puerto Rico Senate with votes from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) and the New Progressive Party (PNP), which, according to him, «opens the doors of our schools to migrant interventions.» And he stated: «Schools must be spaces for education and protection, not scenarios of fear, persecution, and separation of families! This is not a matter of parties or nationalities. It is a matter of principles, humanity, and solidarity. No human being is illegal!» The position of the legislators who voted in favor of the measure was not mentioned in the EFE reports.

According to EFE, fear has been latent in the migrant community since early 2025, when ICE carried out the first raid on the island. On the same Friday, Congress members Nydia Velázquez and Adriano Espaillat, and Resident Commissioner Pablo José Hernández, demanded the removal of ICE from Puerto Rico in San Juan.

According to the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, around 60,000 Dominicans live on the island, 60% of the immigrant population, in a territory of just over 3 million inhabitants.

An Alliance Against Cancer Between New York and Puerto Rico

During the traditional Governor’s Reception at SOMOS, Hochul announced the Advanced Clinical Fellowship in Cellular and Gene Therapies, according to the Governor’s Office. This is an oncology training alliance between the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo and the San Juan Municipal Hospital and the Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of Puerto Rico.

It is an intensive one-year program. The first fellow will be trained at Roswell Park in cellular therapy. The program was designed by Dr. Brian Betts, a leukemia specialist at the center, and aims to strengthen the island’s capacity to offer advanced cancer treatments and train specialized doctors.

«Expanding access to advanced cancer treatments requires continuous investment in research, innovation, and the doctors who provide that care,» Hochul said.

What is SOMOS

SOMOS is an annual conference that brings together Hispanic and New York politicians in San Juan. The 2026 edition began on November 4 at the Caribe Hilton hotel.

Sources: EFE via Infobae; EFE via Clarín; EFE via ABC Color; Office of the Governor of New York. Data consulted on November 7, 2026.

Main photo: EFE/Thais Llorca