On Monday, July 22, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico’s former governor, Ricardo Rosselló came under harsh scrutiny after some of his text conversations had been released. Some of the inflammatory messages included ridicule of those who are poor, obese, LGBTQ+, women, and victims of Hurricane Maria. The texts brought protesters to the streets for days, fueled by additional allegations of corruption. There was some tension between police and protesters when police began firing tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd to stop protesters from getting close to the governor’s mansion. By Wednesday evening, the protesters had accomplished their mission; Rosselló announced his resignation effective Friday, July 26. Since Rosselló’s resignation, there have been two governors: Pedro Pierluisi, whose inauguration was deemed unconstitutional by Puerto Rico’s supreme court, and Wanda Vázquez.

By Amira Pierotti