#RickyRenuncia: Puerto Rico’s turning point?
Why Puerto Ricans say the #RickyRenuncia protests are about more than leaked sexist and homophobic messages.
On Wednesday, July 24 at 19:30 GMT:
Tens of thousands of people have continued to take to the streets of Puerto Rico in one of the biggest waves of protests to hit the island in over a decade. Puerto Ricans are demanding embattled Governor Ricardo Rosselló’s resignation after the publication of nearly 900 pages of leaked group chat messages in which he and other government officials made misogynistic and homophobic remarks about opposition leaders, journalists and public figures.
The chat also made light of deaths in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Puerto Ricans are still recovering from Maria and many have grown to distrust the island’s leadership as they struggle to rebuild. The leak came just days after top officials were arrested for directing $15.5 million in government contracts to businesses they favoured.
The scandal, dubbed ‘chatgate’, ignited days of protests in the capital San Juan. The hashtag #RickyRenuncia (Resign Ricky) has become a rallying cry both on social media and on the streets. And many celebrities and musicians including pop star Ricky Martin, Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and reggaeton artist Bad Bunny have joined calls for the governor to step down.
Despite this growing pressure, Rosselló has refused to go. However, on Sunday he announced via Facebook live that he would resign down from his role as president of his party and that he would not seek a second term as governor in 2020. For many protesters, though, this did not go far enough.
In this episode, we’ll take a look at this most recent scandal and ask why similar protests have been happening for decades. Join the conversation.
On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:
Yarimar Bonilla, @yarimarbonilla
Political Anthropologist
Zoé Laboy, @ZoeLaboy
Senator, Puerto Rico
https://www.senado.pr.gov/Pages/Senators/HON–ZOE-LABOY-ALVARADO.aspx
Luna Xcienfuegos, @rudeboiluna
Artist and LGBTQ Activist
https://www.instagram.com/lunalamala/
Read more:
Tens of thousands demand Puerto Rico’s governor resign – Al Jazeera English
Unrest in Puerto Rico is not just about the governor – The Washington Post
The protests in Puerto Rico are about life and death – NACLA
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