A Protege Disowned

PUERTO RICO

For three decades, Luis Munoz Marin and his Popular Democratic Party presided over Puerto Rico's transformation from an impoverished Caribbean stepchild of the U.S. to a commonwealth of increasingly robust economic health. Then, in 1965, Munoz's hand-picked successor, Roberto Sanchez Vilella, took over. Munoz, who went into semiretirement as a senator, continued to maintain a jealous watch over the aging party that he had founded. Increasingly irked by his successor's independent ways, he and a coalition of P.D.P. leaders last week denied Sachez nomination to a second gubernatorial term and all but drummed him out of the party.

An engineer by training, Sanchez had worked for 30 years as Munoz's closest adviser and protege, but as Governor he betrayed a lack of political savvy. His sometimes brash young assistants inevitably angered P.D.P. regulars accustomed to Munoz's paternalistic style. Sanchez sought to broaden the party's base and wean it from Munoz's ubiquitous influence. But Munoz, like a Latin Lear, proved less than willing to see his rule pass to the next generation.

Jeers. The schism widened a year ago when Sanchez, now 55, divorced his wife of 30 years and within three days married a beautiful younger woman, Lawyer Jeannette Ramos, who is 36. Aware of the problem that posed with his Roman Catholic constituency, the Governor announced at the same time that he would not seek reelection. By March, however, his confidence was so restored that he reversed his decision, against Munoz's wishes.

"The people shall decide" became Sanchez's campaign slogan. As it happened, the decision was made by the party leaders whom he had antagonized. Sanchez called for open gubernatorial party primaries, but his demand was denied. The P.D.P. convention was rescheduled a month earlier to forestall popular debate, and the Governor's forces charged that the selection of delegates was rigged. Last week, in San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium, party regulars, under the impassive gaze of Luis Munoz, jeered Sanchez, then overwhelmingly nominated Luis Negron Lopez, the senate majority leader, for the governorship.

Sanchez withdrew to greet several thousand of his own partisans at La Fortaleza and to ponder running as an independent. His candidacy would drain off many votes that normally would go to the P.D.P. nominee. Barring a three-way race, Negron is slightly favored to defeat New Progressive Party Candidate Luis Ferre, a fervent advocate of statehood and the only other significant candidate. If the Popular Democratic Party should indeed splinter, the era of Munoz and of steady commonwealth status may be ended.

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