Updated

The president of Puerto Rico's Senate has been chosen as the new leader of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators.

Eduardo Bhatia assumed the presidency Saturday of the Washington D.C.-based nonpartisan organization. It has some 400 members and serves as an advocate for more than 52 million Hispanics living across the U.S.

Bhatia, who was sworn in as the 15th President of the Senate earlier this year, was the former executive of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration. After he was chosen to head the caucus, he spoke about the importance of eradicating poverty and the power of the Latino vote after being elected president.

He also said he would seek to strengthen the ties between the U.S. territory and Puerto Ricans living in the U.S. mainland.

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