CHANGE? Puerto Ricans gather for massive protest to expel governor.
Hundreds of thousands of people were expected to take over one of the island’s busiest highways to press demands for the resignation of Rosselló over an obscenity-laced leaked online chat the governor had with allies as well as federal corruption charges leveled against his administration.
The demonstration in the capital of San Juan came a day after Rosselló announced that he would not quit, but sought to calm the unrest by promising not to seek re-election or continue as head of his pro-statehood political party. That only further angered his critics, who have mounted street demonstrations for more than a week.
“The people are not going to go away,” said Johanna Soto, of the northeastern city of Carolina. “That’s what he’s hoping for, but we outnumber him.”
The territory’s largest newspaper, El Nuevo Dia, added to the pressure with a front page headline reading: “Governor, it’s time to listen to the people: You have to resign.”
Organizers labeled the planned road shutdown “660,510 + 1,” which represents the number of people who voted for Rosselló plus one more to reject his argument that he is not resigning because he was chosen by the people.
CLOSELY RELATED: Trump was right all along about Puerto Rico, with protests blowing apart Democrats’ hurricane narrative.
Yes, but racism or something.