Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló expected to resign – Washington Examiner

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló is expected to step down as soon as Wednesday amid demands of his resignation and growing protests against his administration, according to reports.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of San Juan following the publication of private messages between the governor and male members of his administration in which they made vulgar comments about women, political opponents, and victims of Hurricane Maria. His administration was already reeling after the FBI arrested two former Puerto Rican officials earlier this month on corruption charges over the misuse of millions in federal funding in the last two years.

Rosselló, 40, has resisted calls for almost two weeks to resign as the leader of the U.S. territory. He said earlier this week he would not run for reelection in 2020 and asked for forgiveness.

Several members of Rosselló’s administration have already stepped down over the controversy, including his press secretary and chief of staff.

The person who would succeed Rosselló is the secretary of state, but that position has been vacant since Luis Rivera Marín resigned July 13 after the leak of the private chats. Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez is next in line.