“The emphasis of the activists on the ground,” Rolando López said, “is that the governor resigning is not the last step. This really is about a more general critique of the economy of Puerto Rico.”

The bishops said in a statement on July 19: “You, Mr. Governor, bribed and attacked people and groups that participate in our democratic coexistence and therefore cannot continue to exercise your role.”

Congress has authorized one-third of the estimated $120 billion some estimate Puerto Rico will require for recovery.

President Donald Trump tweeted that hurricanes Irma and Maria did not kill 3,000 Puerto Ricans. The assertion runs contrary to recent findings announced by Puerto Rico’s governor, Ricardo Rossello.

A judge earlier this year ordered the Archdiocese to pay $4.7 million worth of pensions to both active and retired teachers working at dozens of its schools.

Researchers reported that physicians and others told them that Puerto Rico's government did not notify them about federal guidelines on how to document deaths related to a major disaster.