Via Twitter (@josekarloo)
On Wednesday, students from the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras overwhelmingly voted to continue its strike to keep the campus’ gates closed, several local media outlets reported. The final vote tally was 1,933 in favor and 533 against. The strike is a direct response to massive budgets being imposed by the government of Puerto Rico and the island’s fiscal control board, which is overseeing a $70 billion debt crisis. Students are also calling for a public audit of the debt, which the government has yet to provide.
The following video in Spanish from Breve provides a brief summary of the vote:
Students are also calling for a boycott of the upcoming June 11 plebiscite status vote, the resignations of the police superintendent and the government’s security chief. It is also asking for the government to make its budget public.
The UPR-Bayamón campus also voted in favor of continuing the strike, with 388 students saying yes and 343 saying no. The gates of the main UPR-Río Piedras campus haven been closed since March 28. Nine other campuses joined the Río Piedras strike on April 6.
On Thursday morning, the hashtag #EnLosPortones (AtTheGates) is providing the latest on-the-ground activities at the UPR-Río Piedras campus. It is unclear what the government will do at this stage, but there are reports that Puerto Rico’s Rapid Action United Forces (FURA) are monitoring the situation:
#EnLosPortones | Helicóptero FURA lleva tres rondas al Recinto de Río Piedras. Va para la cuarta. pic.twitter.com/EocCi63OXx
— Adriana (@adrianadesala) May 11, 2017
Meanwile, students and their supporters were seen demonstrating and saying they will keep the gates closed:
#EnLosPortones | El tránsito ha sido desviado por el carril de la AMA. La policía no ha tomado acción. @DialogoUPR pic.twitter.com/F3Mts3yGsI
— José M. Encarnación (@encarnajm94) May 11, 2017
#EnLosPortones | AHORA: Piquete frente al recinto. @DialogoUPR pic.twitter.com/ALSsJJUZpM
— José M. Encarnación (@encarnajm94) May 11, 2017
#EnLosPortones Ambiente en el Facundo Bueso. Personas que pasan en carro expresan su solidaridad con bocinas o bajan el cristal y hablan. pic.twitter.com/rEuoV7k7bs
— Adriana (@adrianadesala) May 11, 2017
“Son hijos e hijas, no vamos a regalarle un espectaculo de sangre”- Rigoberto Vilá, presidente de la UBOS. #EnLosPortones | @DialogoUPR pic.twitter.com/1qSMM1Vcge
— Karlo (@josekarloo) May 11, 2017
This is a developing story and for live coverage, follow @DialogoUPR and @PulsoEST.
