GET WORSE AND THAT'S THE FEAR.
>> Shepard: BRIAN GANIS.
FOR HIS FIRST ONE-ON-ONE
INTERVIEW.
THE GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO,
RICARDO ROSSELLO
RICARDO ROSSELLÓ IS WITH US
LIVE.
GOVERNOR, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY.
>> Shepard: A REPRESENTATIVE
IN CONGRESS, THEY HAVE CALLED
FOR YOU TO RESIGN.
THE LARGEST NEWSPAPER HAS SAID
IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO LISTEN TO
THE PEOPLE AND STEP DOWN NOW.
HERE'S WHAT THE PRESIDENT OF
UNITED STATES AT ABOUT YOUR
GOVERNMENT TODAY.
>> THE CONGRESS OF UNITED STATES
HANDED THEM $92 BILLION AND THAT
$92 BILLION IS IN THE HANDS OF
INCOMPETENT PEOPLE AND CORRUPT
PEOPLE.
THE GOVERNOR HAS DONE A TERRIBLE
JOB.
>> Shepard: IT'S NOT
$92 BILLION, BUT THE POINT IS
MADE AND PEOPLE ARE ON THE
STREET SANG GET OUT.
WHY WON'T YOU?
>> THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY.
I HAVE SEEN THE PROTEST AND I
HAVE HEARD THE PEOPLE TALK.
I'VE HAD A PROCESS OF
INTROSPECTION.
I'VE MADE A DECISION.
I'M NOT GOING TO SEEK
REELECTION.
THAT WAY I CAN FOCUS ON THE JOB
AT HAND.
THE BIGGEST RECOVERY EFFORT IN
THE MODERN HISTORY OF
UNITED STATES ON OUR HANDS, WE
ARE BATTLING CORRUPTION AND
THERE ARE CERTAIN INITIATIVES WE
HAVE ALREADY STARTED AND NEW
ONES WE WANT TO PUT OUT THERE SO
THAT WE CAN FIX THE PROBLEM.
JUST TODAY I SIGNED A NEW LAW
THAT GUARANTEES THAT DECADES OF
MISMANAGEMENT THAT HAVE GONE AND
PUERTO RICO WITHOUT THE
APPROPRIATE FORESIGHT ABOUT
PURCHASING A PROCUREMENT
AGREEMENT NOW WILL BE SINGLED TO
PROCESSES --
>> Shepard: MY QUESTION, THERE
ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
PROTESTERS ON THE STREET, THE
PRESIDENT, THEY ARE ALL SAYING
YOU NEED TO GO AND YOU SAID NO.
WHY NOT?
>> THERE IS AN IMPORTANT
COMPONENT ABOUT RULE OF LAW AND
I RESPECT THAT PROCESS.
WE WILL HAVE AND WE WILL PROPOSE
CERTAIN MECHANISMS SO THAT
WITHIN THE FUTURE THAT PROCESS
CAN GO FORWARD.
I NEED TO WORK BEYOND POLITICS
SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF
THE LONG-STANDING PROBLEMS OF
CORRUPTION HERE IN PUERTO RICO
AND FIX THAT PROBLEM.
I HAVE A PROPOSAL THAT I SENT TO
SEVERAL OF THE AIDS OF THE
PRESIDENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON.
FIVE A RECORD OF WHAT WE HAVE
DONE AND THINGS WE WANT TO DO
MOVING FORWARD.
>> Shepard: EXCUSE THE
INTERRUPTION.
THE CORRUPTION IS RAMPANT AND
PUERTO RICO.
ECONOMICALLY A FISCAL CRISIS,
$70 BILLION IN DEBT AND A 13
YEAR RECESSION.
900 PAGES OF PROFANITY LACED
MESSAGES.
HE MADE LIGHT OF THE CASUALTIES
OF THE HURRICANE, YOU TOSSED
HOMOPHOBIC AND MISOGYNISTIC
REMARKS.
YOU WERE CALLING THE FORMER
SPEAKER A [BLEEP], YOU SAID GO
LEAP YOURSELF AND WHEN HE SAID
HE IS SALIVATING TO SHOOT THE
WOMAN HE WAS SAID YOU'D BE DOING
ME A GRAND FAVOR.
ATTACKS ON WOMAN, GAYS, DEAD
RELATIVES ON YOUR OWN ISLAND AND
AFTER THAT WHO WHO IS LEFT T
AFTER THAT WHO WHO IS LEFT O
SUPPORT YOU?
IS IT EVEN SAY FOR YOU TO GOVER
GOVERN?
>> I'VE APOLOGIZED.
I AM MAKING AMENDS FOR ALL THOSE
EFFORTS.
>> Shepard: YOU'VE APOLOGIZED
FOR WHAT?
>> FOR ALL OF THE COMMENTS I
MADE ON THE CHAT.
THAT IS ONE THING.
THERE IS ANOTHER EFFORT THAT
NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD WHICH IS
THE BATTLING OF CORRUPTION.
WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED --
>> Shepard: THE CORRUPTION WAS
IN YOUR OWN ADMINISTRATION.
THE FIVE PEOPLE IN THE CHAT, YOU
GOT RID OF ALL OF THEM BUT YOU
REMAIN.
DOES NOT STOP WITH YOU?
>> I WAS ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE
LOVE PUERTO RICO.
>> Shepard: AND THOSE PEOPLE
AROUND THE STREETS SAYING WE
WANT YOU OUT.
THAT'S A HEADLINE THE
POLITICIANS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
AISLE ON YOUR OWNED I'LL
UNDERSTAND THE SAME THING.
YOU ARE A MAN ON YOUR ISLAND BY
YOURSELF, HOW LONG CAN YOU STAY
THERE?
>> MY EFFORT AND COMMITMENT IS
TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON SOME OF THE
EFFORTS THAT I ESTABLISHED FOR
THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO AND
THAT INCLUDES ESTABLISHING A
PLAN I HAVE ALREADY CIRCULATED
WITH MEMBERS WITHIN THE
WHITE HOUSE SO THAT WE CAN
BATTLE THIS CORRUPTION AND
TACKLE WHAT GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
ARE DOING AND THE COLLABORATION
WITH THE GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS THE BIGGEST RECOVERY
EFFORT AND UNITED STATES
HISTORY.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO STATE THAT WE
HAVE THE BIGGEST STEP PROGRAM
AND THE UNITED STATES.
THEY CAME OVER HERE AND THEY
ESTABLISHED THAT NOTHING WENT
WRONG.
THERE ARE A LOT OF EFFORTS WE
HAVE BEEN DOING.
IF YOU WANT TO DRAIN THE SWAMP
YOU NEED TO TACKLE THOSE
PROBLEMS.
>> Shepard: WHO HAS COME
FORWARD TO SUPPORT YOU?
>> THERE ARE FOLKS WHO HAVE COME
FORWARD.
>> Shepard: SPECIFICALLY?
CAN YOU GIVE ME ONE NAME?
JUST ONE NAME.
>> I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE FROM
DIFFERENT GROUPS.
PEOPLE FROM ADMINISTRATIONS.
>> Shepard: YOU ARE NOT ABLE
TO GIVE ME ONE NAME?
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> I CAN.
THE MAYOR SUPPORTED THIS EFFORT.
>> Shepard: HIS NAME?
>> THERE ARE OTHER FOLKS WHO
HAVE ESTABLISHED PEOPLE IN THE
LEGISLATOR AND PEOPLE AND THEY
SAID THAT HAVE SUPPORTED ME.
THEY HAVE SUPPORTED THE FACT
THAT I WILL NOT RUN AND I
SHOULDN'T SEEK REELECTION BUT
THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED IT'S
IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE RULE OF
LAW.
THEIR SUPPORT.
I UNDERSTAND THE VISUALS YOU ARE
SEEING, I HAVE HEARD OF THAT.
>> Shepard: WHAT HAVE YOU
HEARD FROM THE DEMONSTRATORS ON
YOUR STREET?
GIVE ME EXAMPLES ON WHAT YOU'VE
HEARD HEARD TODAY.
>> WE HAVE HEARD THERE IS
OBVIOUSLY DISAPPOINTMENT.
>> Shepard: I HAVEN'T HEARD OF
THAT.
I'VE HEARD PUERTO RICAN AFTER
PUERTO RICAN WATCHING MULTIPLE
SATELLITE FEEDS AND SPEAKING
WITH ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN
PUERTO RICO AND LISTENING TO
JOURNALISTS, I HAVE NOT HEARD
THE WORD DISAPPOINTMENTS.
I'VE HEARD THE WORD -- NUMEROUS
PUERTO RICANS SAYING YOU'VE
DISRESPECTED THEM AND NOT LEAD
THEM PROPERLY, YOU MADE FUN OF
THEM, MADE LIGHT OF THEM.
THEY NO LONGER TRUST AND YOUR
LEADERSHIP.
YOU HAD 660,000 VOTES TO BE
GOVERNOR, BY ALL ESTIMATES THERE
ARE MORE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS
RIGHT NOW DEMANDING YOU STEP
DOWN.
>> I'M NOT MAKING LIGHT OF THE
DEMONSTRATIONS.
I AM ESTABLISHING -- WE HAVE
ESTABLISHED WHAT WE WANT TO DO
ON THE EFFORTS THAT ARE ONGOING
AND WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO FIX
THIS PROBLEM.
THERE IS A PROBLEM.
WE STARTED TO FIX IT AND NOW WE
HAVE PRESENTED A PLAN.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
COLLABORATE WITH THE GOVERNMENT,
PARTICULARLY WITH SOME OF THE
FEDERAL RESOURCES.
I'VE ESTABLISHED AND I CHALLENGE
THAT WE CAN GET A FEDERAL FUND
OVER HERE IN PUERTO RICO AND ALL
THE AGENCIES SO THAT THESE FUNDS
CAN KEEP MOVING.
THESE ARE THE PROPOSALS WE HAVE
IN TOM MACK AND MY OBJECTIVE IS
THAT WE CAN ESTABLISHED
THESE ALLEGATIONS.
>> Shepard: THE SOUND
REASONABLE.
YOU ARE ELIMINATING THE PAST FEW
WEEKS AND THE LAST TEN DAYS OF
DEMONSTRATIONS AND THE
WIDESPREAD CALLS AND ALL THAT
YOU HAVE SAID, YOU SAID I
APOLOGIZED FOR MY MISTAKES.
THAT IS HOW YOU HAVE CALLED THEM
REPEATEDLY.
THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL THEM AT A
NEWS CONFERENCE.
MISTAKES ARE THINGS YOU DO, THAT
YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO DO OR THAT
YOU DID BY ACCIDENT OR AN ERROR
AND THEN YOU GO BACK AND YOU
CORRECT THEM.
900 PAGES OF ATTACKS ON PEOPLE
OF YOUR OLD ISLANDS ARE ARGUABLY
NOT MISTAKES, THEY ARE A PATTERN
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT
PATTERN IF THAT WERE SOME OTHER
POLITICIAN OTHER THAN YOU, WHAT
WOULD YOU SAY ABOUT THAT PERSON?
WOULD YOU WANT THAT PERSON
LEADING YOU AFTER ALL YOU SAID?
>> I WOULD WANT TO SHOWCASE MY
RECORDS.
I WOULD SHOWCASE MY ACTIONS.
THE EFFORTS WE HAVE MADE IN
PUERTO RICO.
THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE STARTING
ON A RECOVERY EFFORT, A
RESTRUCTURING EFFORT WITH A
FISCAL OVERSIGHT BOARD.
THE REDUCE OF THE COST OF THE
EXPENDITURES AND GOVERNMENT BENT
BECAUSE PUERTO RICO WAS IN A
FISCAL CRUNCH AND SINCE WE
STARTED IN THE ADMINISTRATION WE
HAVE MADE STRIDES ON THE ECONOMY
AND ELSEWHERE, BUT MOSTLY WE
HAVE MADE POLICY CHANGES THAT
ARE SIGNIFICANT FOR WOMEN,
LGBTQ, OTHER SECTORS THAT ARE
RECOGNIZED AS SOME OF THE
MOST -- THE BIGGEST STEPS IN
THOSE EFFORTS.
AGAIN, I USE WORDS THAT I'VE
APOLOGIZED FOR.
I HAVE ALSO TAKEN SIGNIFICANT
ACTIONS IN THE DIRECTION OF
HELPING VULNERABLE SECTORS IN
OUR POPULATION.
>> Shepard: HAVE YOU
APPROPRIATELY APOLOGIZED?
HAVE YOU APOLOGIZED TO RICKY
MARTIN?
THE SURVIVORS OF THE PEOPLE WHO
DIED IN YOUR STORM?
HAVE YOU ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS?
THE LOOKS OF YOUR STREET THAT
WOULD SUGGEST A PEOPLE DON'T
BELIEVE YOU'VE HAD.
TEN DAYS IN A ROW.
HAVE YOU APOLOGIZED
SUFFICIENTLY?
WHAT WILL END THESE
DEMONSTRATIONS AS LONG AS YOU
WERE STILL IN OFFICE?
>> I HAVE APOLOGIZED.
MY EFFORT IS TO APOLOGIZE.
>> Shepard: YOU CAN DO THAT
HERE.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO THAT HERE.
>> I APOLOGIZE.
TO RICKY MARTIN, --
>> Shepard: WHAT ABOUT THE
SURVIVORS OF THE DEAD PEOPLE WHO
ARE MADE LIGHT OF?
>> OF COURSE.
THAT AS WELL.
I APOLOGIZE FOR ALL THE THINGS.
>> Shepard: WHY DID YOU SAY
THOSE THINGS?
WHAT WAS THAT INSPIRED YOU TO
SAY THOSE THINGS IN SUCH A
CAVALIER, DISMISSIVE WAY?
IT WASN'T A DAY, A WEEK, IT WAS
TWO MONTHS, 900 PAGES IN
DECEMBER AND JANUARY OF THAT
LANGUAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR BY
THE WAY ABOUT HIS OWN PEOPLE.
>> SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE IS NOT
MINE, SOME OF IT WAS DISCUSSED.
>> Shepard: THAT IS TRUE.
I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT AND I
APOLOGIZE.
IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE WHO SAID I
WOULD LIKE TO SHOOT THE FEMALE
MAYOR OF SAN JUAN AND YOU SAID,
YOU WOULD BE DOING A GREAT FAVO
FAVOR.
>> AGAIN, EVERYTHING THAT WAS
SAID I ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR
HER.
I APOLOGIZE FOR IT.
I WANT TO ESTABLISH THAT I AM IN
A POSITION TO APOLOGIZE TO
EVERYBODY AND TO MAKE AN EFFORT
FOR RECONCILIATION AND MY FOCUS
IS TO MAKE SURE THE POLICY THAT
WE HAVE ENACTED MOVES FORWARD.
>> Shepard: THOSE OF US WHO
LIVE BACK HERE STATESIDE HAVE
WATCHED THE HORRORS THAT HAVE
RAVISHED YOUR ISLANDS AND MANY
OF US, I KNOW I HAVE, WE HAVE
LOOKED AND HAVE WEPT FOR YOUR
PEOPLE.
TO SEE ALL THAT YOUR PEOPLE HAVE
GONE THROUGH THE DIFFICULTY IN
GETTING EVERYTHING FIXED.
THE MONTHS AND MONTHS WITHOUT
POWER AND WATER AND THE
DEVASTATION OF THE TOURISM
ECONOMY.
SEEING ALL THAT REALLY MADE US
VERY SAD AND WANTING TO HELP IN
SOME WAY.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE HAVE
DONATED.
DO YOU LOVE PUERTO RICO?
>> I DO LOVE PUERTO RICO.
>> Shepard: IF YOU LOVE
PUERTO RICO AND YOU LOOK OUT IN
THE STREETS AND YOU SEE THE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE -- EXCUSE ME.
IF YOU SEE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE WHO ALSO LOVE
PUERTO RICO AND HAVE LOOKED AT
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND SAID
THAT AS A MAN WHO CAN NO LONGER
LEAD US.
THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE SAYING.
THEY ARE SAYING THE WAY FOR US
TO MOVE ON IS TO START FRESH.
WE NEED NEW REPRESENTATION AND
WE WANT THE GOVERNOR TO RESIGN
AND THEY HAVE PROTESTED FOR TEN
STRAIGHT DAYS.
THE LARGEST DEMONSTRATION
POTENTIALLY IN THE HISTORY OF
THE ISLAND AND YOU STAND WITH
THE FIRM RESOLVE AND TALK ABOUT
ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
DO YOU HEAR THEM?
DO YOU HEAR THEM AND CARE WHAT
THEY ARE SAYING TODAY?
IS THE CAVALIER ATTITUDE FROM
THE TEXT MESSAGES LIVING IN THE
BACKGROUND TODAY?
I ASK NOT FOR MYSELF, BUT THE
PEOPLE WHO WERE ON A HOT, WET
DAY ON THAT ISLAND SAYING WE
WANT HIM GONE.
>> I HEAR THEM.
IT'S PART OF MY INTROSPECTION
AND I WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR
THEM.
I WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE MY
DECISIONS AND WORK WITH THE
PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO.
IT'S AN ISLAND THAT I LOVE.
THE PEOPLE I LOVE.
I LEFT EVERY OUNCE OF HEART,
EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE SO THAT
WE CAN RECOVER PROPERLY.
I WAS HERE DURING THAT PROCESS
WHEN THERE WAS NO FOOD AND
ACCESS TO WATER AND NO ROADS.
WORKING AS HARD AS I COULD WITH
A LOT OF PEOPLE SO THAT WE COULD
GET THOSE EMERGENCY AID TO THE
PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO.
>> Shepard: WHAT ABOUT THE
CORRUPTION?
WHY DID ALL THAT MONEY GO TO
POLITICALLY CONNECTED PEOPLE?
WHY ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS
AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LONG
AFTER THIS HURRICANE STILL
SITTING WITH BLUE TARPS ARE NOT
ABLE TO LIVE THEIR LIVES?
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE
THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE AND YOU
HAVE BILLIONS OF BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS.
THE PEOPLE OF PUERTO RICO ARE
ASKING TOUGH QUESTIONS AND MOST
OF THEM SAY IN YOUR NEWSPAPERS
AND OUR CAMERAS THAT THE TEXT
MESSAGES ARE NOT THE REASON, THE
FINAL STRAW.
THEY BELIEVE YOUR ADMINISTRATION
HAS BEEN CORRUPT AND CAVALIER
ABOUT THEIR OWN EXISTENCE AND
THEY WANT YOU TO LEAVE AND YOU
ARE REFUSING TO DO SO.
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THESE
PROTESTERS WILL STOP AND ARE YOU
AFRAID YOU MAY NOT BE SAFE?
>> AGAIN, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
>> Shepard: YOU REFUSED TO
MEET WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
PROTESTING OUTSIDE.
THEY HAVE BAGGED TO MEET WITH
YOU IN MY UNDERSTANDING, YOU
HAVE SAID NO.
YOU HAVE NOT DONE A ONE-ON-ONE
INTERVIEW WITH ANYONE AND
PUERTO RICO.
JUST A NEWS CONFERENCE.
>> I'VE HAD TWO NEWS CONFERENCES
AND I HAVEN'T REJECTED A
CONVERSATION WITH ANYBODY.
I AM COMMITTED TO HAVING THAT
CONVERSATION AND ESTABLISHING
THE PATH FORWARD THROUGH
DIALOGUE AND WORKING ON THE
INITIATIVES BUT LISTEN, THE BLUE
TARP SITUATION IS WHERE WE NEED
THOSE FEDERAL RESOURCES.
I'M CHALLENGING AS PART OF OUR
EFFECTS THAT WE CAN GET A
FEDERAL FUND, CONNECTIONS FROM
THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES, THE
LOCAL AGENCIES SO THAT THOSE
FUNDS CAN BE ADMINISTERED
PROPERLY.
IN TERMS OF THE CORRUPTION, AS
HAS BEEN A LONG-STANDING ISSUE
AND WE NEED TO FIX THE SYSTEM.
IT WAS A SYSTEM THAT RESPONDED
TO PEOPLE AND NOW WE WANT A
SYSTEM THAT RESPONDS TO ITSELF
AND THAT IS WHY WE MADE
PROCUREMENT AND CREATED THE
OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
WE CREATED THAT OFFICE EARLY IN
2017, WE COULDN'T IMPLEMENTED
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE STORM AND
NOW IT'S STARTING TO GAIN.
THAT IS WHY PROBABLY THERE WAS
DIFFICULTY IN IDENTIFYING SOME
OF THESE ELEMENTS OF CORRUPTION,
BUT FROM MY PERCEPTION I CAN