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Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello to resign amid chat message scandal

Click to play video: 'Compilation of social media videos shows Puerto Ricans celebrating following governor’s resignation'
Compilation of social media videos shows Puerto Ricans celebrating following governor’s resignation
ABOVE: Crowds of Puerto Ricans erupted in cheers as Governor Ricardo Rossello announced his intention to resign in a televised public address on Thursday, July 25. – Jul 25, 2019

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló on Wednesday said he would resign after almost two weeks of protests calling for him to step down over a scandal involving offensive chat messages and government corruption that rocked the bankrupt island.

Rosselló said in a televised speech he would stay in his position until Aug. 2 when Puerto Rico Secretary of Justice Wanda Vazquez would take over as governor.

WATCH: People in Puerto Rico celebrate amid announcement embattled governor will resign

Click to play video: 'People in Puerto Rico celebrate amid announcement embattled governor will resign'
People in Puerto Rico celebrate amid announcement embattled governor will resign

“I feel that to continue in this position would make it difficult for the success that I have achieved to endure,” Rosselló said.

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His term as governor has seen the island hit with back-to-back 2017 hurricanes that killed about 3,000 people and wreaked widespread destruction just months after the U.S. territory filed for bankruptcy.

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READ MORE: Puerto Rico governor’s chief of staff resigns amid ‘chatgate’ scandal

At-times violent protests have rocked San Juan and its historic colonial capital district since the July 13 release of leaked text messages between Rosselló and his closest allies, with an estimated 500,000 people attending the largest demonstration on Monday.

Rosselló faced the threat of an impeachment process after an independent panel of lawyers commissioned by the president of the lower house to investigate the messages found four felonies and one misdemeanor may have been committed in the chats, one of the lawyers, Luis Rodríguez-Rivera, said in an email.

House of Representatives President Johnny Mendez on Wednesday told reporters that the governor had the option of resigning or facing impeachment.

WATCH: Celebration march held after Puerto Rico governor says he’ll resign

Click to play video: 'Celebration march held after Puerto Rico governor says he’ll resign'
Celebration march held after Puerto Rico governor says he’ll resign

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