Ricky Martin Is Going to Puerto Rico to Demand the Governor Resign

Ricky Martin is headed to Puerto Rico to join protests, calling for the resignation of the governor. The announcement comes after private messages between the governor and his officials were leaked, containing homophobic, myisogynistic, and otherwise problematic language.

889 pages of messages from the app Telegram were published by the Center for Investigative Journalism on Saturday. In the messages, Governor Ricardo Rossello Nevares, as well as officials on his staff "mocked political foes and allies alike, often with profanity," according to the New York Times. According to reports, Nevares himself called the former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, the Spanish word for "whore," while others called other female politicians the "daughter of a bitch."

"Nothing says patriarchal oppression like Ricky Martin," one of the officials said in a homophobic remark according to Metro Weekly. "He is such a male chauvinist that he fucks men because women don't measure up. Pure patriarchy." Another called senator Eduardo Bhatia the Spanish word for "cocksucker."

The leak of the messages has caused widespread unrest in Puerto Rico. Thousand took to the streets to protest, calling for the resignation of the governor. On Saturday, his chief financial officer and secretary of state stepped down over their involvement in the messages according to the Times. But that wasn't enough, and many gathered outside of his mansion to demand his resignation. The protests have led a cruise line to skip their stop in the territory.

On Sunday, police officers went into the streets wearing riot gear while the governor said that he would not resign. Instead, he would announce a government reorganization.

After condemning the messages on social media, Ricky Martin has now said via Instagram he will be going to Puerto Rico to demand the governor's resignation.

The controversy comes after a less than stellar track record for Rossello. Though he did sign an executive order banning conversion therapy on minors after a similar measure had been voted down by his own party, he has had quite a share of low points. Notably, the disastrous response to Hurricane Maria happened under Rossello's watch, but

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