Podcast Summary
Chente Ydrach – JGO Y TRS ESTÁN PASANDO SU PEOR MOMENTO
March 18, 2026

Episode Overview
In this lively and revealing episode of the “Chente Ydrach” podcast (Masacote segment), host Chente sits down with seasoned Puerto Rican journalist Jay Fonseca. Together they break down the escalating crisis between two of the New Progressive Party’s top figures—Jennifer González (JGO) and Tomás Rivera Schatz (TRS). Their discussion delves into the origins and consequences of their conflict, using it as a lens to dissect decades of Puerto Rican political infighting. The episode also touches on international events—Trump’s new pharmaceutical pitch and conspiracy theories around Netanyahu—while always bringing the conversation back to how political gamesmanship and information reliability affect society.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. La Peor Crisis Entre JGO y TRS

Background and Survey Results

• Jay Fonseca presents the result of a scientific poll conducted by Litdata on possible outcomes in upcoming PNP primaries.
• Key finding: Jennifer González would currently lose a head-to-head primary against Tomás Rivera Schatz, with TRS at 47% and JGO at 40%. (04:26–05:42)
• The tightness of the race and shifting dynamics are underscored by previous higher margins for TRS. Jay details the margins of error and nuances in interpretation.
  • “Jennifer González perdería una primaria hoy... Tomás Rivera chats le ganaría una encuesta hoy a Jennifer González.” – Chente (04:26–05:42)
• The effect of alliances is examined, especially regarding Valerie Rodríguez and Eliezer Molina, and the image impact of public postings on social media.

Historical Context of the Rivalry

• Jay and Chente trace the battle lines of internal PNP conflicts going back to the late 90s—Pedro Rosselló, Carlos Pesquera, Luis Fortuño, etc. (09:18–30:11)
• Tomás Rivera Schatz’s long-standing reputation as a powerful political tactician and kingmaker is explained in detail, as is the way he built a machine that could “govern without being governor.”
  • “El artífice de esa estructura de cómo quedarse con todo el aparato gubernamental… se llama Tomás Rivera Schatz y esa persona se dio cuenta de que él, sin ser gobernador, podía gobernar.” – Jay Fonseca (22:14–23:10)

Character Dynamics

• The hosts discuss how both JGO and TRS have public and private personas, with JGO often appearing “nice” publicly but being tough behind the scenes, and TRS showing the opposite.
• Jay notes that public airing of their feud, with insults and posts, is at an all-time high for the party, with the governor and Senate president openly attacking each other.
  • "Esto ya había salido. Pero lo que acaba de pasar de ella gobernadora y el presidente del senado, nunca había pasado." – Chente (30:21–30:46)
  • “Él se goza esto porque aparenta ser que lo disfruta. Me vende comodidad guerreando.” – Jay Fonseca (30:46–31:07)

2. Political Machinations: Power, Chisme y Game of Thrones

How Factional Infighting Shaped Puerto Rico

• The PNP’s internal fights directly shaped government policy and institutional control (Supreme Court, Treasury, Senate confirmations, etc.).
  • “Eso es un Game of Thrones. That's the point. Game of Thrones es la vida real, es la política diaria.” – Chente (26:32)
• Anecdotes from the Capitolio and political chismes underline how personal vendettas and alliances impact governance.
• Historical references, such as the "banquete total," are used to illustrate the stakes and consequences of these power struggles. (21:18 onwards)

3. Global Angle: Trump RX and Big Pharma

Trump’s Pitch vs. Economic Realities

• Jay and Chente switch gears to analyze Donald Trump’s new pharmaceutical branding: Trump RX.
• They critique how the program markets itself as lowering US drug prices by forcing “the world’s lowest prices” on pharma, but challenge whether this is achievable given the realities of research, development, and global pricing.
  • “Trump RX es una gran idea... el mejor que ha habido de Trump probablemente ha sido esto, es presionar a las empresas farmacéuticas a que bajen el precio..." – Chente (36:43–37:15)
  • “Pudiera ser que las medicinas alrededor del mundo suban de precio para el resto del mundo.” – Jay Fonseca (51:24–51:35)
• They discuss the role of the US capitalist market in driving pharmaceutical innovation—arguing that much of the world benefits from US consumers paying exorbitant prices, thus financing research.
  • “No hay otro mercado capitalista en donde se pueda desarrollar medicina.” – Chente (41:39)
• Philosophical dilemmas: Is a socialized or a capitalist health care system preferable? The episode grapples with the moral and practical tradeoffs.

4. Deepfakes & The Disinformation Era: Netanyahu Rumors

Conspiracy Theories and Modern Information Dilemmas

• Jay brings up persistent rumors about the death of Israel’s Netanyahu and how conspiracy theories now thrive in the digital era.
• They debate how even video evidence is unreliable due to advances in AI and deepfake technology; mere testimony may now carry more weight than video.
  • “Hace una semana liquidaron a Netanyahu... hay un gran problema cuando aparece un vídeo.” – Jay Fonseca (57:35–57:50)
  • “De aquí en adelante, uno va a tener que poder requete-confirmar las cosas antes de poder publicar.” – Chente (59:21–59:30)
• The implications for journalism, history, and public trust are considered: how can anyone know or prove “the truth” when technology makes fabrication easy?

5. Oil Prices, Economic Fallout & The Puerto Rico Lens

Petróleo y Economía

• In closing, Jay warns that current apparent oil price stability is deceptive; looming market shortages will hit Puerto Rico soon.
  • “El petróleo que tenemos hoy en el mercado no es precio del petróleo de ahora... los fenómenos económicos cogen tres, cuatro, cinco meses lo que te afectan a ti.” – Chente (69:10–69:54)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Esto es complicado, pero siempre am los miércoles que se graba esto y... la gente se deja sentir en los comentarios." – Jay Fonseca (02:23)
• "[La política puertorriqueña] es más complicada que Game of Thrones." – Chente (26:31)
• "Cuando tú prendes la cámara, tú estás en wow, vamos a caer bien" – Jay Fonseca (32:14)
• “Nosotros vemos todo en la vida según como yo lo veo, como yo lo vivo, como yo lo quiero.” – Chente (44:38)
• "Philosóficamente lo correcto es que el sistema sea un sistema de medicina socializado... pero el mercado es mercado." – Jay Fonseca (52:58–53:36)

Timestamps & Key Segments

| Timestamp | Content Summary | |------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:33–02:23 | Introduction, Jay and Chente coordinate collaboration | | 04:23–05:42 | Polling data: TRS currently ahead of JGO in primaries | | 09:18–30:11 | PNP internal wars; origins of JGO/TRS rivalry; “Game of Thrones” | | 30:11–32:31 | Public/private personas of JGO and TRS; escalation of feud | | 33:54–51:38 | Trump RX, health economics, capitalism vs. socialization | | 54:44–61:15 | The deepfake problem, Netanyahu rumors, verifying truth | | 67:14–69:54 | Oil market mechanics, impending economic effects on Puerto Rico |

Language & Tone

The episode features a distinctly Puerto Rican conversational style: rapid, witty, filled with references (“Game of Thrones,” reggaetón, historical anécdotas), and loaded with political chisme and banter. Jay Fonseca serves as a font of detailed political history, while Chente balances the tone with humor, relatability, and sharp observations about culture, media, and daily life.

For New Listeners

This episode is a masterclass in Puerto Rican political intrigue and contemporary social commentary—accessible even to audiences outside Puerto Rico due to its crisp explanations and international parallels. You’ll walk away understanding not just the JGO/TRS conflict, but also the deeper mechanics of power, information, and economics that shape current events.

End of Summary