Puerto Rico governor is silent as impeachment process looms

Puerto Rico legislators prepared to begin an impeachment process for Puerto Rico’s leader as thousands of protesters gathered around the governor’s mansion late Wednesday and chanted, “We want peace, and they want war!” as they demanded his ouster.

Frustration and anger began building as the silence from Gov. Ricardo Rosselló stretched late into the night despite promises from his spokesman that the governor would address the island amid widespread anger over disparaging comments that he made about constituents as well as corruption.

“Enough already,” Puerto Rico Rep. Gabriel Rodríguez told The Associated Press. “The people of Puerto Rico on a social level, on an economic level, on an emotional level cannot take it anymore.”

Rodríguez, a member of Rosselló’s prostatehood party, said legislators had initially agreed to set aside the impeachment process and give the governor until 5 p.m. Wednesday to announce that he was going to resign.

“We waited at 5 p.m., 6, then 7, then 8 at night, and it hasn’t happened,” Rodríguez said. “He has to put a stop to this. The only one who can bring peace to Puerto Rico is the governor, today, tonight.”

The only one from Rosselló’s administration who spoke Wednesday was Public Affairs Secretary Anthony Maceira, who told reporters that Rosselló was preparing a message to deliver directly to the people. But the spokesman offered no further details about the governor’s political future.

“Today Gov. Ricardo Rosselló will be addressing the people of Puerto Rico directly, in a message that he’s working on right now,” Maceira said.

The president of Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives issued the embattled governor an ultimatum: Either take the best decision for a U.S. territory demanding his resignation or face an impeachment process.