From the BBC:
“Puerto Rico governor to resign
after mass protests”
Puerto Rico's Governor Ricardo
Rosselló has announced his resignation after days of mass street protests in
the US territory. Mr Rosselló, who had only on Sunday insisted he would stay
on, said he would continue working until 2 August to allow an orderly transition.
He has been at the centre of a group
text message scandal that has already led two top officials to resign. The
leaked messages revealed sexist, profane and homophobic comments. Crowds
celebrated the resignation on the streets of the capital San Juan The chat, which contained 880 pages of
exchanges between the governor and 11 male allies, was leaked on 13 July and
led to days of protests outside the governor's mansion in San Juan.
What did Governor Rosselló say?
He recorded a video statement
that was broadcast on Wednesday evening. "I announce that I will be resigning from
the governor's post effective Friday, 2 August at 5pm," Mr Rosselló said. "I
feel that to continue in this position would make it difficult for the success
that I have achieved to endure," he added. Mr Rosselló's announcement
triggered celebrations on the streets of the capital San Juan. On Monday, hundreds of thousands of people
took to the streets, demanding Mr Rosselló's immediate resignation. The 40-year-old governor is leader of the New
Progressive Party, a Puerto Rican political party which advocates US statehood.
Protesters had been calling for Mr Rosselló to step down over the leaked chats
as well as allegations of government corruption Mr Rosselló will be replaced by the US
Caribbean island territory's Justice Secretary, Wanda Vázquez. Ms Vázquez was
next in line under the constitution because the secretary of state, who would
have succeeded the governor, resigned last week as part of the texting scandal.
On Sunday, in an attempt to appease
protesters, he said he would not seek re-election next year. "I hear
you," Mr Rosselló said in a Facebook video. "I have made mistakes and
I have apologised." Mr Rosselló's announcement came just hours after the
leader of Puerto Rico's House of Representatives said that lawmakers were
planning to commence impeachment proceedings to remove the governor. His ousting is viewed by many as both a
repudiation of the governor and a rejection of the dysfunction and corruption
that has plagued the island.
What are the secret messages?
Several of the texts mock victims
of Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island in 2017 and may have led to
more than 4,000 deaths. In one instance, Mr Rosselló criticised the former
Speaker of the New York City Council, Melissa Mark-Viverito, saying people
should "beat up that whore". Ricky Martin gave his support to Puerto
Rican protesters When the island's chief fiscal office wrote that he was
"salivating to shoot" the mayor of San Juan, Mr Rosselló replied:
"You'd be doing me a grand favour."
What has been the reaction to the
scandal?
Local newspaper El Nuevo Día
called on the governor to resign in its Monday editorial. "Puerto Rico has
spoken up, not only as a strong, broad and united voice, but as the right
voice," the editorial said. "With a gesture of nobility and humility,
Governor, it is time to listen to the people. You have to resign." San
Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz said in a Twitter message on Monday: "They
can't deny it: The power is in the street." Singer Ricky Martin, who was
targeted in the secret messages, was among those calling for the governor to
resign, as well as Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and reggaeton star Bad
Bunny. "They mocked our dead, they mocked women, they mocked the LGBT
community, they made fun of people with physical and mental disabilities, they
made fun of obesity. It's enough. This cannot be," Martin said in a video
on Twitter. The island's political crisis also made headlines throughout
mainland US. Many echoed the New York Times editorial board, which wrote that
the "callousness and partisan self-dealing" exposed by the messages
serve as exorbitant strain for the long-suffering island, effectively
"rubbing salt into a long-festering wound". "The Puerto Rican people have no use for
petty political feuding," the New York Times wrote. "Their territory
is struggling under the weight of government corruption, incompetence and
indifference. Having been failed by their leaders at every level, they are out
of patience. They deserve better." US President Donald Trump had also
called on the governor to resign.
^ I saw this one coming from the
minute the scandal was made public. Good job Puerto Rico. ^
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