This Wednesday, July 17th, Puerto Rican superstars Bad Bunny, Residente, and Ricky Martin are expected to join protesters on the streets of San Juan on the fifth day of demonstrations since what people are calling the “Ricky Leaks.” The two urban artists have used social media to express their support for protesters and to encourage people on the island to take to the streets and make their voices heard. They even teamed up with ILE on “Afilando los Cuchillos,” (“Sharpening Our Knives”) a new song that came out earlier this morning, specifically about the protest, almost like an anthem for what’s coming today.
Since last weekend, thousands of people have flooded the streets of the capital’s historical district with music, chants, and banners demanding that the island’s governor, Ricky Rosselló, resign from his post. Even Puerto Ricans living abroad have joined the movement, staging their own demonstrations all across the U.S., in cities like New York, D.C., and Seattle. But why are they so angry? And why do they want Ricky to step down? Here’s an overview of the situation:
Why are people protesting?
People want Ricky to resign because they are outraged after reading 800+ pages of leaked Telegram messages belonging to a group chat where the Governor and other high-ranking government officials wrote a series of homophobic and misogynistic texts. The texts are the usual “locker room talk” we have been hearing about since Me Too emerged, the kind of thing men in positions of power say when they think there will be no repercussions, and the Governor has already apologized publicly, but for the people protesting today, his apology just won’t do.
The protests are also about another recent scandal connected to the Governor, but this one is about corruption. Last week, the FBI arrested several members of Ricky’s cabinet on corruption charges that allegedly have to do with federal funds destined to help with recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which completely devastated the island in September 2017 and left hundreds of thousands of people without access to basic necessities for months. The scarcity that followed resulted in the deaths of more than 3,000 people, so now that everyone knows where those funds went, people feel angry and betrayed by their government.
Why do these protests matter?
Because people are protesting about more than just what was revealed on the leaked messages. They are on the streets because the messages are basically the confirmation that the people who were supposed to protect them and look out for them in their darkest time were actually stealing and having a great time while thousands were dying. They are on the streets because they don’t trust the Governor or the government, and this is a big deal in Puerto Rico because a crisis like this will always be related to the bigger question of political autonomy and Puerto Rico’s status as an American territory.
Will Ricky step down?
On Tuesday, the fourth day of protests, Governor Rosselló held a press conference where he reiterated his determination to continue as governor. He has apologized for the way he expressed himself on the group chat and has promised to make amends for his behavior. However, it remains to be seen whether he will stick to his decision in the face of ongoing protests or he will actually listen to the people and step down.
What’s going to happen?
This is the biggest protest Puerto Rico has had in a long time, and people’s outrage and anger don’t seem to be going anywhere soon. Hurricane María changed the way many Puerto Ricans, both left and right wing, think about their relationship to the government, making many people more critical of it and also more involved politically. The hurricane taught them that change starts from the bottom and that if they want things to improve on the island, they have to get up and do it themselves. So, there is a lot of hope that these protests will be successful and that new and better things are coming for everyone.
Read more:
No, Thanks: Why I Wish I Weren’t An American Citizen
10 Bad Bunny Lyrics You Need To Be Puerto Rican To Understand
J Balvin And Bad Bunny’s New Album Is An Oasis Of Flow
