Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Top Puerto Rican Officials Resign Over Profanity-Laced Chat

Associated Press

   SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - Puerto Rico's Gov. Ricardo Rossello announced
   Saturday that his chief financial officer and secretary of state will
   step down following their participation in a private chat that used
   profanities to describe an ex-New York City official and a federal
   control board overseeing the island's finances.

   The U.S. territory's CFO Christian Sobrino, who is also the governor's
   representative to the control board, announced he was stepping down via
   Twitter on Saturday. Its Secretary of State Luis G. Rivera Marin also
   offered his resignation.

   Rossello later released a statement saying he would let go members of
   his administration who participated in the chat on a messaging system
   used by government officials. The release of the chat's contents in
   local media had led to calls for the governor's resignation.

   Governor apologizes, doesn't resign

   Rossello apologized for the comments late Thursday, saying he'd been
   working 18-hour days and releasing tensions when he called former New
   York City Council speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito the Spanish word for
   "whore" and in English told the oversight board to "go f--- yourself"
   followed by a string of emojis with the middle finger raised.

.