Politician targeted by Puerto Rican governor responds: ‘This is an attack on all women’

Former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito (D), who was mentioned in leaked misogynistic messages from embattled Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, called his words “an attack on all women” Wednesday on CNN.

In the messages, Rosselló calls Mark-Viverito, an ally of San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, a “whore” who should be “beat[en] up” after she criticized Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez’s support for Puerto Rican statehood.

{mosads}“This is not about me, obviously, this is an attack on all women and the people of Puerto Rico in general,” Mark-Viverito told CNN’s David Gregory.

While Puerto Ricans have been frustrated with corruption within the government bureaucracy for years, “what the chat revealed was many things: one, it was about the sexism, misogyny [and] homophobia; two, it was about the use of government money and resources to enrich your friends,” she added.

After seeing those aspects laid bare, Mark-Viverito said, “I think people just had enough.”

“People are tired of the abuse from those in power. This is about reclaiming government, hitting reset & re-prioritizing,” she said in a tweet Sunday. “The people MUST be first.”

Yes. It is a revolution. La gente cansada del atropello. People are tired of the abuse from those in power. This is about reclaiming government, hitting reset & re-prioritizing. The people MUST be first. The nepotism & corruption is flagrant & must end. #RickyRenuciaYa https://t.co/qBp9jY8bsm

— Melissa Mark-Viverito (@MMViverito) July 21, 2019

Puerto Rico has seen massive protests following the reveal of the messages and the arrest of several top aides to Rosselló on corruption charges, with protesters calling for his resignation.

Rosselló has refused to resign but announced Sunday he would not seek reelection in 2020 and is stepping down as head of the New Progressive Party. His announcement did little to quell the demonstrations, with protesters on Monday blocking a major highway.

Several 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have expressed solidarity with the protesters or called on Rosselló to resign, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), who on Friday became the first candidate to visit Puerto Rico since demonstrations started.