Puerto Ricans need more than Rosselló’s departure
“Ricky, renuncia, el pueblo te repudia!” — “Ricky, resign, the people reject you.” That was the chant taken up by the people of Puerto Rico, who took to the streets in unprecedented protests of government corruption over the past two weeks. Finally, late Wednesday, embattled Gov. Ricardo Rosselló heeded the message and announced his resignation. It was a historic moment, and Puerto Ricans are right to take pride in an extraordinary political awakening that united the island in a demand for a better government.
But if that goal is to be fully realized, more than Rosselló’s departure will be needed. It is important that Puerto Ricans continue to press for change that will root out the corruption
and dysfunction that for far too long have marked how the U.S. territory has been governed.
The resignation of Rosselló, who was compromised by scandals that included the leak of vulgar and insulting messages between him and his advisers, set off joyous celebration. “Fireworks. Cheers. Hugs. Pots banging,” a Fox News reporter tweeted from San Juan.
Rosselló had tried mightily to stay in office: He begged for forgiveness, promised not to run for reelection and resigned as head of his party.
Only after he was told the legislature planned to start impeachment proceedings did he agree to resign.
That his announcement came at about 11:40 p.m. after a day of frenzied rumor and via a Facebook video that touted the “success” of his administration was a fitting coda to his troubled tenure.
What happens next is unclear. Next in line (because the secretary of state who was also caught up in the chat scandal resigned on July 13) is Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez Garced. She has been criticized for a slow response to the message scandal, and there’s speculation a different successor could be in place when Rosselló steps down Aug. 2. There is worry that continued turmoil and distrust in government could worsen the island’s economic problems and threaten the federal assistance that is vital to Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricane Maria.
There should be no talk of cutting off help to Puerto Rico, which has already suffered too much from the devastation caused when Maria hit nearly two years ago. What is needed is an orderly transition, thorough investigation of any wrongdoing and implementation of a system to ensure that federal aid is effectively dispersed to where it is needed.
One proposal with merit is appointment of a federal coordinator to oversee relief funds, similar to the efforts undertaken in New Orleans and New York following Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy.
The Federal Oversight and Management Board, as the Washington Post has said, needs to be strengthened so it can continue the work of putting Puerto Rico on sound financial footing, hopefully with the help of a local government that understands its role is to serve the interests of the people of Puerto Rico and not those of a ruling class.