Governor will not resign but won’t seek reelection
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO >> Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said Sunday evening that he will not resign in the face of public furor over an obscenity-laced leaked online chat, but that he will not seek reelection or continue as head of his prostatehood political party.
Protesters said they were not satisfied by Rosselló’s concessions and pledged to continue demonstrations that have filled the streets of Old San Juan for more than a week.
“He’s stretching things out. We had hoped he’d taken the decision to resign. He’s making the people’s pain last longer,” said Emmarie Morales, a protester from the southeast coastal town of Patillas. She said the governor’s decision will not end the protests. “He’s given us more strength to protest. We aren’t going to sit around watching Netflix.”
In a brief video posted on Facebook, Rosselló also said he looked forward to defending himself against the process of impeachment, whose initial stages are being explored by Puerto Rico’s Legislature.
“In spite of everything, I recognize that apologizing isn’t enough, that only my work will help restore confidence ...,” the governor said. “Facing that scenario, I announce to you that I will not seek reelection next year.”
The 889 pages of chat on the encrypted app Telegram between the governor and 11 close allies and members of his administration, all men, showed the governor and his close advisers insulting women and mocking constituents, including the victims of Hurricane Maria.
Since the chat leaked July 13, hundreds of thousands of outraged Puerto Ricans have marched to Rosselló’s official residence in the largest protest movement on the island since Puerto Ricans successfully demonstrated to demand an end to U.S. Navy military training on the island of Vieques more than 15 years ago.
Puerto Rico’s justice secretary, Wanda Vázquez, would assume the governor’s role under the territorial constitution’s line of succession if Rosselló should quit.
The upheaval comes as the U.S. territory is struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria and trying to restructure part of $70 billion in debt amid a 13-year recession in this territory of more than 3 million American citizens who do not have full representation in Congress or a vote for president.