UPDATE 2-Puerto Rico governor taps former U.S. delegate as successor - report

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló has named the island's former representative in the U.S. Congress, Pedro Pierluisi, as his new secretary of state, and next in line to succeed him when he steps down on Friday, El Nuevo Dia newspaper reported.

Rossello said last week he would step down in the face of mass street protests and public outrage over the release of profane chat messages and federal corruption charges against two former administration officials. Puerto Rico lower house Representative José Meléndez told the newspaper that legislators were informed of Rosselló's decision on Tuesday afternoon by the president of the chamber, Johnny Méndez.

Replacing the first-term governor became complicated after Secretary of State Luis Rivera Marin, who would have been first in line to assume the office, resigned on July 13 because of his participation in the group chat. Afterwards, the second in line for the top government post, Secretary of Justice Wanda Vazquez, said she did not want the position. Pierluisi has a leave of absence starting Tuesday from Washington law firm O'Neill & Borges, where he works as a corporate and government affairs lawyer, according to his profile page on the company's website.