Puerto Rico. Due to the success rate of these surgeries, and the outcome of his patients, Dr. González Cancel achieved the status of a prominent surgeon in Puerto Rico and the United States. Political career Dr. Iván González Cancel is regarded as a prominent Democrat and Statehood supporter. He has met President Bill Clinton and many mainland politicians. He has made financial contributions to the NPP party in Puerto Rico and to Democrats in the United States. Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico By 2009, Dr. Gonzalez Cancel was arguably among the most respected and prominent physicians in Puerto Rico. Due to his professional background and experience he was nominated by Governor Luis Fortuño as Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico. Tapped as secretary of Health in 2009, he ran into trouble when Fortuño withdrew his nomination. "I refused to participate in a proposed scheme tainted by corruption, and I didn't want to give up surgery completely so he pounced on the excuse to withdraw my nomination," said González Cancel, who said he would give up all his medical positions if he were to become governor. In fact, the short stint at the Health Department probably sparked his interest in public service and launched him on his path to the governorship. Campaign for Governor of Puerto Rico 2012 Nothing is more anti-statehood than corruption, says the man who aspires to challenge Gov. Fortuño for La Fortaleza, on a platform which overturns almost every assumption his own party has promoted. "This administration doesn't show any interest in finding out about corruption, which destroys every effort to improve the life of Puerto Ricans," cardiologist Dr. Iván González Cancel told the Daily Sun in an interview Saturday, the same day he opened his 2012 primary campaign office. NPP Primary The subject of corruption is not a plank in his platform, but rather a shadow that hovers over every reform and project, according to González Cancel, who must get 10,000 endorsement signatures before challenging the incumbent governor to an inter-party primary race in March. The signature campaign must wait until Oct. 1, when he officially presents his candidacy as a candidate for governor for the New Progressive Party. "I expect to do that in one or two weeks, and when that obstacle is surmounted, we will begin developing a campaign strategy for the primaries," said the Utuado native. So far, the road has appeared