New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani arrived in Puerto Rico on Thursday for an annual summit that brings New York politicians and lobbyists to sunny San Juan for strategy meetings and workshops.

Fresh off his election win, Mamdani is expected to be a main attraction of the Somos conference, where he’ll have a chance to meet political insiders

Mamdani, visiting Puerto Rico for the first time since being elected mayor, spoke about the strong ties between Puerto Rico and New York City, highlighting shared histories and communities.

“You cannot tell the story of New York City without telling the story of Puerto Rico” said Mamdani.

The event, held at the Caribe Hilton Hotel, featured appearances by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez, and other city and state officials.

At Somos, he attended an evening cocktail reception organized by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who had been one of his big boosters during his campaign.

The conference is something of a post-Election Day retreat for the state’s political movers and shakers at a Hilton hotel in San Juan.

This year, there are ballroom events billed as “Workforce Development Through Rising Communities” and “Celebrating Human Services Together,” along with a series of legislative workshops.

The mayor-elect was introduced to the podium by Henry A. Garrido, the Executive Director of District Council 37, to cheers from the audience.

Mamdani is set to return to New York on Saturday.

The trip comes days after he defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in New York City’s mayoral race.

AP Video by Alejandro Granadillo