Puerto Rico Protest:Tens of thousands demanding resignation of US territory governor

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Staying in the Americas, the pressure is mounting on the Puerto Rican governor. Protestors are calling for Ricky Rosello's resignation, and for an end to the culture of corruption that has mired the United States territory in debt. CGTN's Nitza Perez Soledad has more from the capital, San Juan.

It's being called the largest protest in Puerto Rico's modern history.

Hundreds of thousands took part - taking control of the main highway to drive their message far and wide. They have one simple demand and say they won't settle for less. The governor, Ricardo Rossello, must go.

SAMORY BERMUDEZ PROTESTER "We are against all these indignant actions of Ricky Rosello, his government and the U.S. imposed fiscal board. Everybody is taking advantage of Puerto Rico. We are fed up."

This is the tenth protest - and the largest by far - coming ten days after hundreds of pages of offensive online chats between Rossello and close advisors were leaked to local media the messages, filled with obscenities, contempt for women and homosexuals even jokes about hurricane victims.

It's a scandal that appears to have pushed this stressed and struggling population to say "enough". Residents are still trying to recover from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, bankruptcy, a 70 billion dollar debt they can't pay, austerity measures and much reported corruption.

MARILYN QUINONES PROTESTER "I want my children to know the country I grew up in, a sincere nation, people that loved their homeland, that valued their norms and respected its laws, but now we are living in a country that doesn't value any of that. We've been disrespected as Puerto Rican people."

Even other leaders of Rossello's own pro-statehood party have asked the governor to step down.

NITZA SOLEDAD PEREZ SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO "On Sunday the island's governor announced that he would resign as the president of his party and that he would not seek reelection in 2020, but that didn't appease the protesters, instead it angered them even more."

WILLIE BERRIOS PROTESTER "This goes beyond, because we have been disrespected and sneered. A governor is someone that is supposed to have the respect of all the Puerto Rican people, this one doesn't have it."

Ten days and ten protests have so far failed to move Puerto Rico's governor to resign Rossello vowing again Monday to stay in office and face impeachment - even as crowds paralyzed parts of the capital.

But many islanders are also dug in vowing to keep venting their anger and frustration until the governor is gone.

Nitza Soledad Perez, CGTN, San Juan, Puerto Rico.