>>> BREAKING NEWS THIS HOUR PUERTO RICO’S GOVERNOR
ANNOUNCING THAT HE WILL NOT SEEK
REELECTION IN 2020.
HE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN
SPANISHISH LIVE FROM HIS HOME
AND SAID THAT HE WILL ALSO STEP
DOWN AS THE HEAD OF PUERTO
RICO’S NEW PROGRESSIVE PARTY.
THE ADDRESS AFTER TENS OF
THOUSANDS OFF PROTESTERS TOOK
THE STREETS FOR OVER A WEEK
CALLING FOR THE GOVERNOR’S
RESIGNATION.
RESIGNATION. THIS STEMS FROM GROUP CHATS WIN
THE GOVERNOR AND HIS INNERCIRCLE
MADE SEXIST AND HOMOPHOBIC
COMMENTS INCLUDING JOKE ABOUT
DEAD BODIES ACCUMULATING AFTER
HURRICANE MARIA.
HURRICANE MARIA. JOINING ME, THANK YOU BOTH FOR
JOINING ME.
JOINING ME. GOVERNOR NOW SAYS HE’S NOT
RESIGNING NOW.
RESIGNING NOW. HE’S JUST NOT GOING TO SEEK
REELECTION.
REELECTION. ES FOR
ES FOR >> I MEAN HE WENT FUGTERRTHER AN
SAID I WELCOME THE PROCESS THE
PUERTO RICAN LEGISLATURE SET OUT
TO SEE IF THERE’S POSSIBILITY
FOR IMPEACHMENT.
FOR IMPEACHMENT. I DON’T THINK THIS HAS ANY
INDICATION IT WOULD APPEASE THE
CRITICS.
CRITICS. TOMORROW POSSIBLY THE BIGGEST
MARCH WE’VE SEEN IN THE HISZRY
OF PUERTO RICO AND THAT’S BIGGER
THAN WEDNESDAY WHERE THEY SAID
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS SHOWED UP
TO PROTS AND DEMAND HIM TO STEP
DOWN.
DOWN. TOMORROW ORGANIZERS AND PEOPLE
THAT ARE LIKE TRYING TO ROUND
PEOPLE UP TO US AND EVERYTHING
HAPPENING ON THE ISLAND UNTIL HE
STEPS DOWN.
STEPS DOWN. IN THE BUSIEST HIGHWAY OF PUERTO
RICO.
RICO. SO WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
>> AND CARS BEING STOPPED
BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROTESTERS.
WHAT’S YOUR INITIAL REACTION?
>> I WAS CERTAINLY SURPRISED.
THE PROTESTSERS HAVE BEEN VERY
CLEAR AND THE MESSAGE IS THAT HE
RESIGN.
RESIGN. THE MESSAGE WASN’T FOR HIM TO
STEP DOWN OF HIS PARTY ORRER FOR
HIM TO SEEK REELECTION.
I THINK TOMORROW’S
MARCH/PROTEST, IT’S GOING TOING
BE SOMETHING WE WANT OUR EYES
ON.
ON. BECAUSE THE PROTESTS WEDNESDAY
BROKE RECORDS.
BROKE RECORDS. THIS ONE CAN CERTAINLY BECOME
HISTORICAL.
HISTORICAL. >> YOU DON’T THINK IT WILL CALM
SOME OF THE PROTESTERS BECAUSE
HE SAID I’M NOT GOING TO DWOO
THIS AGAIN.
THIS AGAIN. LET ME PLAY THIS OUT.
>> OUR REPORTS SAY THE CROWDS
HAVE GROWN EXPONENTIALLY DAY BY
DAY.
DAY. ES FOR SO BY TOMORROW THE CROWD
IS GOING TO BE BIGGEST.
WE’VE SEEN HOW ARTISTS HAVE BEEN
BRUNGING POP THOOL MARCH.
RIGHT NOW ONE OF THE BIGGEST
LATIN POP STARS PUT A PAUSE IN
HIS CAREER TO ATTEND THE
PROTEST.
PROTEST. >> ANOTHER ARTIST IN THE ISLAND
PEOPLE LOVE SAID I AM HALTING MY
VACATION AND RETURNING TO THE EN
ISLAND TO BE PART OF THIS.
IF YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR RICKY
MARTIN TO SHOW UP IN THE ISLAND,
IT SAYS SOMETHING.
LIKE ALEJANDRA SAID,
PROTESTSERSES HAVE BEEN VERY
CLEAR AND CONSISTENT.
THEY HAVE BEEN PROTESTING FOR
AILKT
AILKT EIGHT DAYS IN A ROW.
SOURCES ARE TELLING LOCAL
REPORTERS THAT IN HIS HEAD HE
THINKS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET
TIRED EVENTUALLY.
TIRED EVENTUALLY. SCHOOL IS GOING TO START IN
AUGUST AND PEOPLEERANT AREN’T GO
TO ORGANIZE OR PROTEST AS MUCH.
WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS NOW.
I LISTEN BUT I’M NOT THINKING
ABOUT FOLLOWING YOUR DEMANDS.
>> HOW CAN HE GOVERNOR GOING
FORWARD IF YOU HAVE THIS MANY
PEOPLE SHOWING UP, WHAT DOES HE
DO?
DO? >> THAT’S THE BIG QUESTION AND
SO MANY PEOPLE FROM HIS
ADMINISTRATION HAVE RESIGNED,
BEEN FIRED.
BEEN FIRED. SO YOU HAVE THE SECRETARY OF
EDUCATION RIGHT NOW SHE WAS
ARRESTED AND SHE’S GOING THROUGH
AN INVESTIGATION PROCESS RIGHT
NOW FOR ALLEGED EMBEZZLING OF
MORE THAN $15 MILLION.
AND SAME WITH AVALA, SHE DEALS
AS LOT WITH MEDICARE AND
MEDICAID FUNDS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
THAT PERSON IS IN THE SAME SPOT
AS THE EDUCATION SECRETARY.
SO THAT IS A BIG QUESTION.
THE GOVERNOR EPICOOSES INSISTING
HE CAN GOVERN AND HE SAYS HE’S
COMMITTED TO RESTORING THE TRUST
THAT THE PEOPLE PUT IN HIM BUT I
MEAN NOBODY -- NOT A LOT OF
PEOPLE SEEM TO FOLLOW WITH THAT.
SO THAT IS A BIG QUESTION RIGHT
NOW.
NOW. >> THE PERSON NEXT IN LINE NOT
THERE ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THESE
SCANDALS.
SCANDALS. WHAT DO YOU THINK IT’S GOING TO
LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD?
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FACTS,
PROTESTSERS DON’T WANT HIM IN
POWER.
POWER. HIS OWN POLITICAL PARTY DOES NOT
WANT HIM IN POWER.
HE HAS LOST THE TRUST OF PUERTO
RICANS THE PEOPLE IN HIS
CABINET.
CABINET. SO CAN HE GOVERN THIS WAY?
I DON’T THINK SO.
>> WE’RE GOING TO FIND OUT.
TO PEA CONTINUED TOMORROW.