Euphoria in Puerto Rico as mass protests force governor to resign
PUERTO RICO - People danced on the streets of San Juan’s old city after Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló announced he would quit over offensive chat messages that sparked massive protests on the Caribbean island.
After 12 days of sometimes violent demonstrations, the firstterm governor said he would step down on Aug. 2, having failed to soothe critics’ concerns by vowing not to seek re-election and giving up the leadership of his political party.
“I feel that to continue in this position would make it difficult for the success that I have achieved to endure,” Rosselló said, listing accomplishments in office that ranged from creating new industries to promoting equal pay for women. Packed with protesters awaiting the announcement, San Juan’s historic Old City erupted in joy when news broke that Rosselló, whose administration has been dogged by allegations of corruption, was stepping down.
Thousands of mostly young Puerto Ricans thronged the blocks outside the governor’s mansion. They waved flags and lit fireworks, as chants of “Fight yes, Surrender No,” and “Olé, Olé” rang out. “Man it’s amazing, man, it’s wonderful, man I’m so happy,” said 19-year-old Leonardo Elias Natal. “It’s time to wake up and I’m so proud of my country.”
Others, like Elias Natal’s girlfriend, were more measured. “I’m really, really, really, really happy, but I know we need to stay right here, screaming,” said Julie Rivera, 21, who was already planning to return on Thursday to protest against the woman Rosselló tapped to succeed him.
Puerto Rico Secretary of Justice Wanda Vazquez, a 59-year-old former district attorney, was too close to Rosselló, according to Rivera. After celebrating late into the night, protesters plan to rally at 9 a.m. on Wednesday in the city’s financial district to mark the governor’s resignation and make clear their opposition to Vazquez. Rosselló’s term as governor has seen the island hit with back-to-back 2017 hurricanes that killed thousands of people and wreaked widespread destruction, just months after the U.S. territory filed for bankruptcy.
Weary of crisis and a decadelong recession, Puerto Ricans were angered when U.S. authorities on July 10 accused two former Rosselló administration officials of pocketing federal money through government contracts.
The final straw for many on the island came July 13 when Puerto Rico’s Center for Investigative Journalism published 889 pages of chat messages between Rosselló and 11 close allies. (Reuters)