Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez confirms engagement to partner Riley Roberts

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has confirmed her engagement to longtime partner, Riley Roberts.

The Democrat congresswoman confirmed on social media that she got engaged while visiting her parents’ home town in Puerto Rico last month.

In resposne to a tweet, Ms Ocasio-Cortez, 32, said: “It’s true! Thank you all for the well wishes.”

Following a wave of well-wishes, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said her ring was made of recycled gold after a flippant tweet claiming right-wing commentators would react if it wasn’t.

She said: “Close! It’s zero emission and recycled gold.”

The US politician met her fiance during their time as students at Boston University.

He has rarely been in the spotlight but was featured in the 2018 documentary, ‘Knock Down the House’ on Ms Ocasio-Cortez’s political campaign.

Commenting on the politician’s fiance, Josh Gondelman, in an essay in Take Up Space: The Unprecedented AOC by the editors of New York magazine, wrote: “What we do know about Roberts doesn’t fit the stereotype of a politician’s partner.

“He doesn’t seem focus-grouped or media-trained for state dinners and press conferences. We know he’s supportive and encouraging in private.

“And his expertise, as far as his public image goes, is his elusiveness and restraint.”

The news of her engagement comes as Democrat politicians announced a binding vote on Puerto Rico’s statehood.

The vote would allow citizens of the island to vote on independence or US citizenship.

Commenting on the announcement, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said: “We are here to finally end second-class citizenship of Puerto Ricans in the United States.”