#PuertoRico has not been able to bounce back since #HurricaneMaria struck the island and caused an estimated $100 billion in damages back in September. Now, it will be much harder for the island to recover as the government has proposed a plan to eliminate $72 billion in debt while trying to claw its way out of an 11-year long recession and restore power to more than 30,000 people affected by Hurricane Maria.
The budget cuts will bring pension cuts, less hurricane relief, and about 280 school closures. Thousands of teachers, students, union workers and retirees protested in front of the capital yesterday for annual #MayDay protests. According to @LATimes, the protest was peaceful until a much younger group of protesters began to clash with police in the #HatoRey district. They threw rocks at them while the police sprayed rubber bullets into the crowd and fired tear gas. Several people were arrested after setting a palm tree on fire.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello of the New Progressive Party was not pleased with the violence and expressed his disapproval. He believes that the behavior tarnished the reputation of Puerto Rico. “Freedom of expression cannot turn against … the safety of human beings,” he said. “This kind of violence damages the good name of Puerto Rico.”
Take a look at some footage of the protests and tell us your thoughts:
Lanzan gases lacrimógenos en la Milla de Oro. #ParoNacional pic.twitter.com/qxyXfzjRIj
— El Nuevo Día (@ElNuevoDia) May 1, 2018
This happened today. This isn't a war zone. This isn't a country with fleeing refugees. This isn't a dictatorship. This is America. This is Puerto Rico. Police uses tear gas on people who fight for clean water, electricity, their dignity, their lives.pic.twitter.com/61UhmexWUB
— Together we rise ???????? (@Matsamon) May 1, 2018
Cops are hunting protesters like some fascist Dictator told them to "round everybody up"-this is the United States of America, people. #PuertoRico pic.twitter.com/qRn02S9kX8
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) May 2, 2018
Police in #PuertoRico, wearing military style gear, are firing rubber bullets & tear gassing protestors marching bc of school closings, lack of Hurricane Maria recovery aid, the control board, austerity measures, etc. pic.twitter.com/ioPzbox9Y7
— Denice Frohman (@denicefrohman) May 1, 2018
Puerto Rico. Peaceful protestors exercising their first amendment right. This militarization is what our tax dollars are supporting, not aid. pic.twitter.com/jreKTAGzeY
— Redacted Tonight (@RedactedTonight) May 2, 2018
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Source: LA Times
