Thursday, July 25, 2019
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló announced his resignation overnight, ceding power after nearly two weeks of furious protests and political upheaval touched off by a leak of crude and insulting chat messages between him and his top advisers.
A crowd of thousands outside the governor's mansion in Old San Juan erupted in cheers and song after his announcement on Facebook just before midnight Wednesday.
"Despite expecting to serve the term that the people democratically elected me to, today I feel that continuing in this position represents a threat to the success we have achieved," a shaken-looking Rosselló said in an address in which he listed his accomplishments before making clear he will step down Aug. 2.
The 40-year-old Democrat and son of a governor, Rosselló became the first chief executive to resign in the modern history of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory of more than 3 million American citizens.
Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez will assume the post more than halfway through Rosselló's four-year term, becoming Puerto Rico's second female governor.
"It's historic, but we have to be cautious. What will happen beyond this? There are concerns, but there is also hope," designer Jalil Serrano said. Gesturing to the young crowd outside the mansion, he said, "This belongs to them."
Daniel López, a businessman also in the protest, wiped tears from his eyes as people leaped into the air, beat drums, waved flags, hugged and cried, "We did it!"
"This is for the future of my family," López said. "It's big, what's happened."
Rosselló's announcement – made amid threats of impeachment from lawmakers – came after a bizarre standoff unfolded in Old San Juan, as the governor pledged to deliver a message to the people of Puerto Rico, then hour after hour passed in unexplained silence while thousands of protesters chanted demands for his resignation. An announcement was first expected at 5 p.m., then finally came less than a half-hour before midnight.