When Puerto Rican Governor announced his plan to lay off 17,000 governtment workers in following weeks, thousands of angry citizens organized marches and demonstrations against the plan. Fortuño argues that the plan is necessary in order to avoid major economic set backs faced with previous administrations. Puerto Rico struggles with a $3.2 billion deficit and has a 15 percent unemployment rate. His plan would eventually lay off 30,000 government workers.
Fortuño threatened to charge demonstrators and citizens planning to participate in the Oct. 15 demonstration as committing acts of terrorism. Around 20,000 people are expected at the march tomorrow and many unions have called for a general strike. This threat came after Victor Rodríguez, head of the Truckers Front, announced that truckers would "freeze" airports and ports. Interfering with international trade is an act of terrorism, Fortuño said. The truckers can only "not work," but if they use their trucks to block entrances to ports and airports, it would be a crime of terrorism.
"Calling individuals who are exercising their right to protest terrorists is dangerous in a democracy, and I am very worried about the turn of events," American Civil Liberties Union Executive Director William Ramírez said. "These are public servants."
A petition to Congress has been drafted and is available to be signed at http://action.seiu.org/page/s/PRcivilrights.
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