Puerto Rico Residents Block Major Highway Demanding Governor’s Resignation

Thousands of Puerto Rican citizens have blocked a major highway in protest of their governor.

It’s been 12 days of protests in Puerto Rico, as the residents are calling for the resignation of their governor #RicardoRosselló. “This has never happened in Puerto Rico before,” said Angel Rosa, a political science professor at the University of Puerto Rico.

The protests stem from leaked chat messages between Rosselló and members of his inner circle. In the nearly 900 pages of messages, there was content that included profanity-laced, homophobic and misogynistic comments that “offended almost every group on the island,” Rosa said. However, citizens say that’s just the cherry on top of other issues the islanders have with Rosselló’s leadership.

“I am fed up with the thieving government,” said Maristella Gross, one of the protesters in San Juan. “I am fed up with corruption. I am fed up with lack of integrity.” Rosselló announced he will not be running for re-election next year and will resign as the president of the New Progressive Party, CNN reports. “I leave aside any personal interest by not running for re-election to the governorship next year,” Rosselló said Sunday.

But residents aren’t happy; they want him removed from his position as governor. San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz said the governor’s refusal to step down has “added fuel to the fire.”

“We are prepared here at City Hall with a makeshift emergency unit with medics and doctors and nurses to take in anybody that receives tear gas or has a cut in their body or potentially been shot,” she said.