San Juan - Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo
Rosselló was expected to step down on Wednesday after almost two
weeks of protests against his administration that were sparked
by the publication of offensive chat messages with aides,
several of whom have already quit.
Rosselló had made no announcement by early Wednesday, but
major local media were reporting his resignation was imminent.
Protesters had cheered those reports late on Tuesday but
warned that his departure would not end the demonstrations now
entering their 12th day.
If he does step down his replacement as the Caribbean
island's leader would likely be Justice Secretary Wanda Vazquez,
whom protesters reject because of her ties to Rosselló.
The governor's chief-of-staff resigned on Tuesday as
prosecutors investigated the scandal.
After some protesters threw bottles and police in riot gear
used tear gas to disperse crowds on Monday, protests outside the
governor's mansion were comparatively tame on Tuesday and early
Wednesday, limited to chanting and cheering.
The demonstrations, which drew an estimated 500,000 people
to the streets of San Juan on Monday, continue to rock the U.S.
territory as it struggles to recover from a hurricane two years
ago that killed some 3,000 people. The island was already
bankrupt.
The protests were spurred by the publication on July 13 of
chat messages in which Gov. Rosselló and aides used profane
language to describe female politicians and openly-gay Puerto
Ricans like Ricky Martin.
They unleashed simmering resentment over his handling of
2017's Hurricane Maria, alleged corruption in his administration
and the island's bankruptcy process.
A string of Rosselló's closest aides have stepped down over
the scandal. His chief of staff Ricardo Llerandi was the latest
to hand in his resignation on Tuesday, citing concerns for the
safety of his family after threats.
Puerto Rican officials on Tuesday executed search warrants
for the mobile phones of Rosselló and 11 top officials involved
in the leaked Telegram message group chats.
Puerto Rico's Justice Department first requested the phones
last Wednesday as part of its investigation into the chat
scandal, nicknamed "Rickyleaks."
Only Llerandi has so far said publicly he has handed in his
phone.
Mariana Cobian, a Justice Department spokeswoman, declined
to say whether the governor had surrendered his mobile.
CALLS FOR RESIGNATION
A first-term governor in his first elected office,
40-year-old Rosselló has for almost two weeks resisted calls to
step down as leader of the U.S. territory and its 3.2 million
residents, though he has vowed not to seek re-election in 2020.
"The people are talking and I have to listen," Rosselló said
in a statement on Tuesday. He has apologized several times for
the chats and asked Puerto Ricans to give him another chance.
But the island's leading newspaper, prominent Democratic
officials and Republican President Donald Trump have all called
on Rosselló to step down.