Puerto Rico Protests: Thousands Demand Governor’s Resignation

Demonstrators swarm a highway in San Juan as part of general strike.

Tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans swarmed a major highway Monday, the latest in demonstrations demanding the resignation of Gov. Ricardo Rosselló.

Mr. Rosselló’s administration is contending with the recent indictments of two former high-ranking officials, the resignations of others and the leak of nearly 900 pages of vulgar messages between the governor and his advisers. On Sunday, Mr. Rosselló reiterated in a video message that he intended to serve out his term, though he said he wouldn’t run for re-election in 2020.

Marchers chanted, clapped and sometimes danced amid an almost celebratory atmosphere, expressing solidarity as the U.S. territory continues to struggle to recover from Hurricane Maria in 2017 and grapple with a court-supervised bankruptcy of the government. The demonstration is believed to be one of the biggest in Puerto Rico’s history.

Celebrities including the singer Ricky Martin and boxing champion Félix “Tito” Trinidad packed onto a truck to join the march.

The popular singer Daddy Yankee, who sings “La Gasolina,” called on the governor to listen to the protesters’ calls for him to step aside. “It’s best that he let new leaders take control of the island’s destiny,” he said.

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