Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló Expected To Resign Today, Source Says
CHICAGO (CBS) -- After more than a week of protests in Puerto Rico, Governor Ricardo Roselló is expected to resign Wednesday.
Calls for his resignation erupted after a series of controversial and crude texts between Roselló and his inner circle were leaked. Some of those messages included homophobic comments and jokes about victims of Hurricane Maria.
Puerto Rico's Secretary of Justice Wanda Vázquez is expected to take Roselló's place.
Public affairs secretary Anthony Maceira, however, declined to confirm the report, restating Roselló's Tuesday remarks that "he is in a process of reflection and listening to people."
"The governor has not resigned," he said. "Whichever decision he makes will as always be communicated officially. There's a frenzy right now and a lot of incorrect rumors being spread, even by some media outlets."
Thousands have jammed the streets of San Juan calling for the governor's resignation after Puerto Rico's Center for Investigative Journalism published a series of group messages between the governor and his inner circle that included homophobic and misogynistic language and jokes about hurricane maria victims.
Demonstrators were determined to stay on the streets until Rosselló stepped down, fed up with years of government corruption, high poverty rates, crushing debt and a painfully slow recovery since the 2017 disaster.
Overnight Wednesday, an energetic crowd filled the streets outside the governor's mansion waving flags and banners after news of the governor's anticipated announcement broke.
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