Puerto Ricans In Philadelphia Join Protests After Governor Refuses To Step Down Over Leaked Messages, Corruption
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Protesters are outside the governor's mansion in Puerto Rico Monday night, demanding that Gov. Ricardo Rossello step down. There are also protesters in Philadelphia and the message is clear: they will not stop until the governor steps down.
On Monday, an estimated 1 million Puerto Ricans took to the street protesting government corruption and leaked chatroom messages in which Rossello and his advisers mocked victims of Hurricane Maria.
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"Sexist comments. Misogynistic comments. Homophobic comments," Adrian Rivera-Reyes said.
Rivera-Reyes lives in Philadelphia and has family and friends who are protesting, which have caused street closures and the government to effectively shut down.
"It was a national strike," he said.
Like Ana Montanez, Rivera-Reyes is part of the Diaspora, or group of Puerto Ricans living in the United States, who are backing their brothers and sisters on the island.
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"It's beautiful to be in the Diaspora and see everybody uniting the way they are in Puerto Rico and here in the United States," Montanez said.
The small group here is an extension of the countless in the Puerto Rican capital, all calling for a change in leadership, and an end to corruption, which all came to light after those leaked messages.
"It was that little last drop that flooded the cup," said Rivera-Reyes.
Despite these protests, Puerto Rico's governor has said he will not step down.