Puerto Rico’s besieged governor resigned late Wednesday, following more than 10 days of unrelenting public demands for him to step down, including a protest on Monday that was one of the largest in the island’s history.
“I was furious; I am furious,” said Gilda G. Garcia, 75, one of hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans to join in recent protests in San Juan. Many Puerto Ricans had awakened Wednesday expecting the governor to step down within hours, following multiple news reports that his resignation was imminent. For years, Puerto Ricans have simmered in disgust with previous corruption scandals, tensions in the island’s relationship with the mainland and a reeling economy, said Jorell A. Melendez-Badillo, an assistant professor of Latin American and Caribbean history at Dartmouth College.The economy, which was already crippled by years of fiscal mismanagement, tanked in 2006 when the Internal Revenue Service eliminated tax incentives for U.S. companies on the island.
On July 10, two former members of his Cabinet were taken into custody, accused of directing some $15.5 million in contracts to businesses with political connections. Three days later, Puerto Rico’s Center for Investigative Journalism published 889 pages of leaked group chat messages in which Rossello and his aides discussed ways to manipulate news coverage, denigrated women and made homophobic comments about Puerto Rican pop star Ricky Martin.
From the highway, some protesters marched to La Fortaleza, where they danced and chanted until 11 p.m., when police fired tear gas into the crowd in an attempt to clear the area.
I wonder what he is going to do now! I’m sure he’s no longer welcome in PR
Well he is not Speedy Gonzales
Proof that Puerto Rico should either be an independent country or a full pledge state not something between, who is Ricky Martin the has been anyway.
RickyMartin247 aye!!!
We need protesters like that here! Or is it Americans are too complacent to care?
I hate when an article is behind a paywall and I can't read important news.
1 down, 1 to go!
August 2nd Impeachment Marches. TraitorTrump
Good riddance
Thank God !!!!!!!!🙏
We should know they are just there to fill their pockets. We need great people that will serve people.
YNB The power of people
Hell yes!! He said let the birds eat the remains of the dead from hurricane Maria. Begone evil!
Good . How hard would had been to use you're job as a chance to help others. Creep !
After a week of spending tax money doing nothing
unity and revolution works!
martins4xf It's time.
Woah. That’s pretty big news.
Protesting works 🙌🏼
Gov. Ricardo Rossello’s ability to govern the U.S. territory had grown increasingly tenuous in the days since Puerto Ricans learned of leaked messages between him and several top aides.
Let's Goooo Puñetaaaa
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