25 Jul 2019 | 05:39 AM UTC
US: Puerto Rico governor to resign August 2 /update 11
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló announces on July 24 that he will resign on August 2 following days of protests
Event
Ricardo Rosselló, the governor of Puerto Rico, released a video message on the night (local time) of Wednesday, July 24, announcing that he will resign on Friday, August 2. In the message, Rosselló said his resignation will be effective as of 17:00. According to media reports, Secretary of Justice Wanda Vazquez is expected to become the next governor. The announcement comes after over a week of daily protests in San Juan and other parts of Puerto Rico demanding Rosselló step down. As of approximately 23:30 on Wednesday, large crowds of demonstrators in San Juan remained in the streets to celebrate the resignation. Further associated rallies are possible in the coming days and weeks.
Context
Protests demanding the resignation of Governor Rosselló have been held throughout Puerto Rico since July 13. The protests were called 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 had thus far 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 San Juan, and Puerto Rico more generally, are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all protests as a precaution, and obey all instructions issued by the local authorities.
