Washington DC— “At last night’s protests in Puerto Rico over constant power outages, ‘riot’ police using tear gas, batons, pepper spray and rubber bullets in Old San Juan and stretching into La Perla appeared in video after video to use aggressive force on protestors and journalists assembled by the Governor’s mansion. This is an outrage, especially considering that this abuse occurred on the watch of a governor who purportedly advocates for the equal rights of Puerto Ricans and with the Puerto Rico Police Department already subject to a federal monitor for egregious violations.
“Puerto Rico’s Constitution provides for the right to assembly and free speech. Violations of these rights are a fast track to the repression of democracy and human rights. We join leaders and organizations such as the regional director of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and Kilómetro Cero in denouncing attacks on clearly identified press and civilians, and we call for an independent investigation into the officers who committed these abuses.
“We also remind the public and media that Puerto Ricans took to the streets to call for the cancellation of the LUMA energy contract. The unraveling of this private operation has only made conditions worse in the Island.”
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