19 Jul 2019 | 08:49 AM UTC
US: Further protests planned in Puerto Rico July 19, 20, 22 /update 6
Puerto Ricans call protests in San Juan and town assembly in Caguas (Puerto Rico) regarding calls for Governor Rossello’s resignation July 19, 20, 22
Event
Puerto Ricans have scheduled several protests and a town assembly regarding ongoing demands for Governor Ricardo Rossello's resignation in San Juan and Caguas, Puerto Rico on Friday, July 19, Saturday, July 20, and Monday, July 22.
On Friday July 19, various union members and other individuals are expected to gather at 17:00 (local time) at the Bahia Urbana in San Juan and later march towards La Fortaleza, the governor's residence.
Also on Friday, members of the community will gather at 17:00 (local time) at the Sears parking lot at Las Catalinas Mall. The assembly meeting may build tension among protesters and can possibly erupt into a protest.
On Saturday July 20, protesters will gather at 14:00 in front of La Fortaleza, then another group will again gather at 19:00 at the same location.
On Monday July 22, protesters have called for a massive march on the island's longest and second-most traveled tollway, the highway Luis Ferré Express, also called Las Americas Express. The meeting points are at Hiram Bithorn Stadium and Plaza Las Americas in San Juan as of 09:00 and the march is expected to end at 16:00.
A heightened security presence and localized traffic disruptions are to be expected along the march route as well as in the vicinity of all protest sites. Clashes between protesters and security forces cannot be ruled out.
Similar protests related to the ongoing crisis are likely throughout Puerto Rico, and particularly in San Juan, in the coming several days and weeks.
Context
Thursday was the sixth day of protests demanding the resignation of Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló following a scandal involving hundreds of pages of leaked texts between Rosselló and his cabinet members containing misogynistic and homophobic language Despite admitting to writing the messages, Rosselló has refused to resign.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has also implicated members of Rosselló's cabinet in fraud, conspiracy, and other corruption-related investigations.
Advice
Individuals in Puerto Rico, particularly San Juan, Caguas, and other cities with large Puerto Rican communities, are advised to monitor the situation, avoid all public gatherings, and anticipate a heightened security presence and localized transportation and business disruptions.
