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Protests PuertoRico
OnJuly22,
demonstratorsshut
downtheExpreso
LasAméricas,
leadingtomore
confrontationswith
lawenforcement
Policeusedteargasonprotesters,who’vegatheredoutsidethe
governor’smansionmostnightssincethemessagesbecamepublic
Corruptionallegationsdoggedtheadministration;twoformerofficialshave
beenchargedwithcrimesincludingtheft,moneylaundering,andwirefraud
TwoyearsafterPuertoRicodeclaredbankruptcy,andwiththedevastationunleashedbyHurricaneMaria
stillhobblingitseconomicrecovery,publicfrustrationhasreacheda boilingpoint.Peoplebeganpouringinto
thestreetsofOldSanJuanonJuly13,afterinvestigativejournalistspublishedmessagessentbyPuertoRico
GovernorRicardoRossellóandhisinnercircledisparagingpoliticalfoesandordinarycitizensalike.Sincethen
theprotestshavegrownin sizeandintensity,leadingtoa massdemonstrationonJuly22,in whichanestimated
100,000peoplefloodeda highwaynearSanJuan’sfinancialcenter.OnJuly24,PuertoRico’sspeakerofthe
Housegavethebesiegedgovernorhourstoresign,sayinghewouldotherwisebeginimpeachmentproceedings.
Earlierthesameday,a judgeimposeda four-monthhaltonseveraldozenpiecesoflitigationthatarepartof
bankruptcyproceedings.Thepoliticalchaosmayhavesubsidedbythen,butpublicangermaycontinuetomount.
�MichelleKaske