Embattled Puerto Ricans protest to have governor resignation

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Protesters shut down the main highway that connects San Juan to the rest of the island Monday in what seemed to be the largest rally yet demanding that Gov. Ricardo Rosselló step down. They’ve been complaining government corruption and leaked chatroom messages in which the governor and his advisers ridiculed victims of Hurricane Maria.

One teacher told CBS News “Our schools are really poor right now”. “I don’t have a job right now because they’re closing schools.”

A 14-year-old protester told CBS News, “It’s really amazing … it’s just astonishing to really see basically the whole Puerto Rico coming together as a whole”.

People chant slogans as they wave Puerto Rican flags during a demonstration calling for the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Mon., July 22, 2019.  

Puerto Ricans, already twisting from Hurricane Maria and debt crisis, newly learned that the FBI detained the former heads of the education and health insurance departments for apparently funneling money to friends.

And the final straw: a trove of leaked chat messages between Rosselló and top aides. In one exchange, Rosselló’s former chief financial officer said, “Don’t we have some cadavers to feed our crows?” in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

On Monday, the governor — speaking on Fox News — faced a query he’s struggled all week to answer: Whose support do you have?

He named a local major of San Sebastian. That mayor told CBS News he does not support the governor.

People in a conference room watch a television transmission of Puerto Rico’s Governor Ricardo Rosselló speaking during an interview, after a protest calling for his resignation in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Mon., July 22, 2019.

Neither does Donald Trump, who said Monday that “he’s a terrible governor.”

President added, ‘The U.S. Congress handed them $92 billion and that $92 billion is in the hands of incompetent people and very corrupt people”.

That number is not true. Puerto Rico has received $14 billion in the repercussion of Hurricane Maria.

Puerto Ricans have their own worries about how federal aid is being spent and have vanished faith in their government.

 

The visual and sound speaks volumes. This is San Juan, Puerto Rico NOW pic.twitter.com/ojVecpoLQl

— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) July 22, 2019

 

Late Monday night, police ablaze tear gas to disappear protesters who remained on the streets of Old San Juan, and there were dotted fierce cases:

It’s 12:16am, in Puerto Rico and WAPA TV has a live feed showing motorcyclists who are heading for Old San Juan. Protests have been ongoing for the last 16 hours straight. It only got ugly within the last hour. pic.twitter.com/QZMU3Vmn6Q

— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) July 23, 2019

There was what sounded like a police siren about 10 minutes ago here, likely a first warning from police to protesters (who are definitely not going planning on pakcing it in right now) #RickyRenuncia

— Nidhi Prakash (@nidhiprakash) July 23, 2019

WAPA-TV is CBS’s sister station, located in San Juan.

The fire burning in Old San Juan was in fact a vehicle.
The fire is now out.
It’s a it chaotic in Old San Juan since protesters scattered after police used tear gas around 11pm.
Pics from @WapaTV pic.twitter.com/HBNOBHtCDT

— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) July 23, 2019