As a child, Puerto Rico's newest governor said she would stand on her balcony and hold imaginary trials, always finding the supposed defendants guilty.
Now, after more than 32 years of public service as a district attorney and justice secretary, Wanda Vázquez finds herself leading a U.S. territory following a Supreme Court ruling that ousted her predecessor and appears to have calmed the political turmoil that led the island to have three governors in less than a week.
As justice secretary, Vázquez was automatically next in line to become governor after the court's ruling, a historic move she said will allow her to work for the people because she is free of political bligations.
In this handout photo provided by the Governor's Office, a student presents a vase of sunflowers to Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vazquez during a visit to the Ramon Marin Sola School, in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Monday, Aug. 12, 2019. Vazquez visited the elementary school she attended as a child, marking the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year. (Governor's Office via AP)
Speaking to The Associated Press Friday, she said "I don't have that weight on my shoulders."