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Democracy Chronicles

When Anger Is A Gift: Puerto Rico Rising

by Aydasara Ortega - July 23, 2019

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“Paintings of rebellion
Drawn up by the thoughts I think
”
Freedom – Rage Against the Machine

Puerto Rico Rising

Responding to the recent, ongoing protests and marches asking the governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosselló, to resign, he continues to say NO because “the people” once chose him. But the multitudinous and persistent demonstrations that call for the governor’s resignation show that democracy and dignity walk together. Manifestations in the streets of Puerto Rico and around the whole wide world demand loud and clear: “Ricky resign!” #RickyRenuncia

This rising is a reaction to pillage and plunder of the people, particularly of the most forgotten, ignored and marginalized. The protests open a new chapter that helps Puerto Rico and all those inspired to imagine another political landscape and reality, taking advantage of this drive to redefine its course and effectively address the challenges ahead. They show the Puerto Rican people and the rest of the world that there is no tolerance for corruption, failures in accountability and lack of government transparency. Nor misogyny, homophobia, insults and threats to political opponents and dissidents, the mockery of poverty and pain …

“Now that we are on the subject, don’t we have some cadavers to feed our crows?
Clearly they need attention.”
(exchange by the governor and his officials in a chat about the dead bodies accumulating during hurricane Maria)

As the colonized nation still struggles against the devastation of a hurricane, a so called public debt and numerous economic challenges, a people tired of abuse and unjust austerity measures, no longer wait and take the streets. “Your anger is a gift.”

Puerto Rico Rising
(shoes representing the 4,645 lives negligently lost in Puerto Rico during and after hurricane Maria)

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Filed Under: DC Authors Tagged With: American Corruption, Caribbean, Democracy Protests, Puerto Rico

About Aydasara Ortega

Aydasara Ortega Torres writes for Democracy Chronicles from New York. She is a Faculty Member of Psychology at the College of Mount Saint Vincent. Also take a look at her website for more of her work.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Simón Irizarry says

    July 24, 2019 at 1:19 am

    And the deeper lesson in all of this is how power works. There is no compelling reason for the State apparatus to remove its figurehead, there is no guarantee that even the constitutional removal process will take place. Furthermore, both the governance structure and process remain intact. So the question now on the table is what happens next.

    Reply
  2. JISEOP KIM says

    July 25, 2019 at 12:10 am

    In current situation, the only way to reform Puerto rico’s political and economic system is demonstrators making a war with the government. Many great civil activists and political scientists have argued that citizens should participate in non-violent demonstration to change the nation; because, violent demonstration is prohibited by law. However, citizens in a country where laws support not citizens but strong politicians have to violate their country’s law to demolish its legal system. Puerto rican politicians have killed a lot of innocent citizens to threaten people and make them conform to the absurd political system. However, they haven’t been punished, since law has justified their murder. Therefore, if Puerto rican citizens don’t kill politicians now, they will kill tons of people to maintain their current system. That is the reason Puerto ricans have to assault and murder politicians even though it is an activity that is against the law.

    Reply

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