By Ramón Frontera Nieves on February 19, 2022
The People Before the Debt, photo: Ramón Frontera Nieves
Despite the rains that hit Puerto Rico last Friday, thousands of public employees declared a work stoppage and demonstrated in the streets demanding a salary increase and a decent pension at the time of their retirement. This escalation of protests follows recent strikes by the public school teachers’ unions, also joined in along with several other unions. Among them unions that represent workers in the health department, the department of correction, the department of natural resources, the courts, the university, emergency medical services and others.
Gathering in different parts of the country, thousands and thousands of employees raised their voices to demand to raise similar demands around basic rights and respect. In the last weeks the protests have gained momentum. The protesters are making it clear to the government that they are tired of hearing promises that are not fulfilled.
The protesters are also demanding that Governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia halt the “Debt Adjustment Plan”. They claim that the country’s debt has not been audited and that the plan is very onerous and endangers essential services for the people. Puerto Rico was declared bankrupt several years ago, as it was unable to pay its debt. As its colony, the U.S. government imposed a Board that oversees and determines the government’s finances. This is where the real decision making of all the affairs of Puerto Rico are made and carried out by their flunkies like Urrutia
Since early in the morning, the unions have held several rallies. They ended their marches in different parts of the country. Some marched to the Capitol, others to the Fortaleza (home and offices of the Governor), the central offices of the Department of Health and the offices of the Fiscal Control Board and the University of Puerto Rico.
These massive marches brought vehicular traffic to a standstill on several of Puerto Rico’s main roads and highways.
As part of their protests, many demonstrators waved the design of the Puerto Rican flag in black and white. This is a representation of the crisis that the country is going through; an economic, financial, social, crisis and more. It represents a country that is not just in a state of mourning for all the neglect but is becoming active and militant in response to all the effects of the crisis.
The leaders of the different unions indicated that if their just demands are not met, the demonstrations and work stoppages will not only continue but multiply.
Source: Resumen Latinoamericano – English