"It's just astonishing to see": Puerto Ricans unite in call to have embattled governor resign
San Juan, Puerto Rico – Demonstrators shut down the main highway that connects San Juan to the rest of the island Monday in what appeared to be the largest demonstration yet demanding that Gov. Ricardo Rosselló step down. They've been protesting government corruption and leaked chatroom messages in which the governor and his advisers mocked victims of Hurricane Maria.
"Our schools are really poor right now," one teacher told CBS News. "I don't have a job right now because they're closing schools."
"It's really amazing ... it's just astonishing to really see basically the whole Puerto Rico coming together as a whole," a 14-year-old protester told CBS News.
Puerto Ricans, already reeling from Hurricane Maria and debt crisis, recently learned that the FBI arrested the former heads of the education and health insurance departments for allegedly 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.
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On Monday, the governor — speaking on Fox News — faced a question 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.
Neither does Donald Trump, who said Monday that "he's a terrible governor."
'The U.S. Congress handed them $92 billion and that $92 billion is in the hands of incompetent people and very corrupt people," the president added.
That number is not true. Puerto Rico has received $14 billion in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
Puerto Ricans have their own concerns about how federal aid is being spent and have lost trust 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 fired tear gas to disperse protesters who remained on the streets of Old San Juan, and there were scattered violent incidents:
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
WAPA-TV is CBS's sister station, based in San Juan.
The fire burning in Old San Juan was in fact a vehicle.
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) July 23, 2019
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