Ricky Se Fue--Y Ahora Que? A Mobilized Puerto Rico Battles Increased Federal Control
On the evening of July 25, Puerto Rico’s Constitution Day and the 121st anniversary of the U.S. invasion of the island, disgraced Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rosselló finally announced his resignation. With it, perhaps, comes the promise of a new political era.
The sound of Rosselló’s televised address, which was played over speakers in Old San Juan, was quickly drowned out by the cheers of jubilant protesters who had taken over the streets in front of the governor’s mansion to demand Rosselló’s ouster for his role in a scandal involving misogynistic and homophobic private chats as well as recent arrests of members of his government on pay-to-play corruption charges.
For nearly two weeks, massive demonstrations led by famous artists and community leaders had rocked Puerto Rico, shutting down highways. They were complemented by demonstrations on the mainland, including those in New York and Washington, D.C. Videos of boricuas taking over the streets of San Juan with pot-banging and perreo, a reggaeton-influenced dance, instantly went viral, surprising many Americans along with the rest of the world. (Who knew protesting could look so good?)
Demonstrations last Monday alone drew an estimated 30 percent of the island’s 3.1 million inhabitants. The last time Puerto Ricans displayed anything close to such people power was during the backlash over the U.S. government’s subjecting the island of Vieques, located about 13 miles off the coast of the commonwealth, to target practice for bombing runs.
Read more: https://prospect.org/article/ricky-se-fue-y-ahora-que-mobilized-puerto-rico-battles-increased-federal-control
(American Prospect)