San Juan, July 25 (RHC)-- Puerto Rico's Governor Ricardo "Ricky" Rossello announced Wednesday at midnight his resignation effective Friday, August 2 at 5:00 p.m.. local time, and will be replaced by the secretary of Justice, Wanda Vazquez.
Rossello's resignation is the triumph of hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans who have taken to the streets in protests for 12 consecutive days.
Luis de Jesus, teleSUR's correspondent in San Juan, the Puerto Rican capital, said: "I don't know if there is a simple way to convey what this means to Puerto Rico. A people historically subjected to all kinds of colonial imposition, this is the closest we have been to a revolutionary process in our recent history." He reported the joy felt by the vast majority of the Puerto Rican people, many who were encamped outside the governor's mansion.
At the same time, this comes as the island’s legislature began its own process to pressure Rossello. Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives Speaker, Carlos Mendez Nuñez, commissioned three attorneys to prepare a report on the legal feasibility of an impeachment process.
The politician told reporters that the only thing that would stop the process is if the governor resigns. The legal experts unanimously determined there were five offenses that constitute grounds for impeachment. Attorneys found that Rossello committed four serious offenses and one misdemeanor, including illicitly using public resources and services for partisan purposes. He also allowed government officials and contractors to misuse public funds and time for non-government work.
Massive protests began over two weeks ago, on July 13th, as an 889-page document -- released by the non-profit journalism group Center for Investigative Journalism -- revealed the official has led a racist, misogynist smear campaign against his competitors and journalists. With corruption allegations and mishandling of public funds in his administration, Ricardo "Ricky" Rossello could face prison time if convicted of his criminal activities.
