Photographs and video by Erika P. Rodriguez

SAN JUAN, P.R. — In all corners of Puerto Rico, from the central mountains to the southern coast, the protesters set their alarms for early on Monday morning — in some cases, so early that it was still dark.

They grabbed flags and whistles, sunscreen and umbrellas, and wound their way into the capital. By the time they reached Expreso Las Américas, a major highway, many more fellow protesters awaited with catchy chants and folk music, ready to shut down the island in a political show of force against Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló.

Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans gathered on Monday to demand that Mr. Rosselló resign after a leaked private group chat revealed boorish and inappropriate exchanges among the governor and his closest aides.

But what the protesters rejected more broadly were decades of mismanagement and corruption that bankrupted Puerto Rico and left it unprepared to respond to the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Sergio Pérez, 26 Eliezer Camacho, 41 Keila Ramos, 30 Luisa Albino, 65 Sergio Pérez, 26 Eliezer Camacho, 41 Luisa Albino, 65 Keila Ramos, 30 Eliezer Camacho Sergio Pérez Luisa Albino Keila Ramos Demonstrators gathered along Roosevelt Avenue in the Hato Rey neighborhood of San Juan.

Keila Ramos, 30, is a teacher whose family moved to New York after Hurricane Maria. “My siblings went looking for better work. Every year, I have to wonder whether my teaching contract is going to get renewed.”

Luisa Albino, 65, a retired teacher from Corozal, is worried about her pension. “They might take away part of my retirement. There are poor, abandoned people in the mountains, who never got any help.”

Eliezer Camacho, 41, an electrician from Yauco, protested with his wife, Lissette Candelario, 40, and their 14-year-old son. “The education of my children, and of many children of Puerto Rico, is at stake every time this party is in power.”

Sergio Pérez, 26, a psychology student from Ponce, does not know if he will be able to stay in Puerto Rico once he graduates. He recalled five months of suffering after Hurricane Maria. “We had a terrible time. Help didn’t arrive. We spent many months without water, without power.”

Luz Zoraida Hernández, 73 Joyce Díaz, 20 Tania Ríos, 31 Omar Matos, 38 Luz Zoraida Hernández, 73 Joyce Díaz, 20 Tania Ríos, 31 Omar Matos, 38 Luz Zoraida Hernández, 73 Joyce Díaz, 20 Tania Ríos, 31 Omar Matos, 38 Protesters rested in the shade next to Highway 18 during Monday’s daylong protest.

Joyce Díaz, 20, took a break with her coworker Alam Pastrana, 19. Ms. Díaz said she found her education in Toa Baja lacking. “I never had a math class. In all of my high school years, I did not take math.”

Tania Ríos, 31, was laid off from her job as a real estate agent not long ago. “Under the new labor reform law, I can no longer contest my layoff. We can’t do anything anymore. They let you go because they feel like it and you’re helpless.” Omar Matos, 38, was recently released from federal prison. “I was a criminal, and no criminal does what these people do.”

Luz Zoraida Hernández, 73, has long favored Puerto Rican independence. “My family and I have been persecuted our whole lives for being pro-independence, and I believe in freedom. We are not slaves.”

Monday’s protests were among the largest in recent memory on the island and followed days of demonstrations against Mr. Rosselló’s government.

San Juan PUERTO RICO Old San Juan La Fortaleza Atlantic Ocean A separate group protested outside the governor’s residence. San Juan Bay Some protesters reached Highway 22. 18 23 22 guaynabo SAN JUAN Highway 18 Hundreds of thousands marched along the major highway also known as Expreso Las Américas. The crowd spread to Highway 23. 23 18 1 MILE San Juan PUERTO RICO Old San Juan Atlantic Ocean La Fortaleza A separate group protested outside the governor’s residence. San Juan Bay Some protesters reached Highway 22. 18 23 22 Highway 18 Hundreds of thousands marched along the major highway also known as Expreso Las Américas. The crowd spread to Highway 23. 23 guaynabo 18 SAN JUAN 1 MILE San Juan PUERTO RICO Old San Juan La Fortaleza A separate group protested outside the governor’s residence. San Juan Bay Some protesters reached Highway 22. guaynabo SAN JUAN 18 22 Highway 18 Hundreds of thousands marched along the major highway also known as Expreso Las Américas. The crowd spread to Highway 23. 18 1 MILE

On Sunday, the governor resigned from the leadership of his political party and said he would not seek re-election but refused to step down from office.

Carlos Zayas, 70, a Vietnam War veteran, marched with his wife, Helga Soto, 66. Mr. Zayas compared the days of recent protests to the push two decades ago to oust the United States military from the Puerto Rican island of Vieques. “There are a lot of veterans in the protest. We were in Vieques, and we got the Navy out.” Ruth Vélez, 62, said her home in Bayamón was destroyed by Hurricane Maria. “I lived in that house for 30 years. Now I’m on the street. I’m here for all of us who are still homeless.” Gabriela Aristud, 18, has seen her tuition at the University of Puerto Rico rise. “We have to pay more and more, and many of us don’t have money for that. It hurts, and it’s very scary, what’s happening in Puerto Rico.” Daniel Serrano, 46, second from right, teaches English in rural San Sebastián. He pointed to the recent arrest of the former education secretary on corruption charges. “We teachers have been oppressed. There’s no money for ink, but there’s money for that woman!”

Rafael Mercado, 23 Coralys Delgado, 21 Rafael Mercado, 23 Coralys Delgado, 21 Rafael Mercado, 23 Coralys Delgado, 21

Rafael Mercado, 23, who works as a cook in Quebradillas, left home at 5 a.m. to protest. “Four of my family members have left because of the hurricane and because of the corruption, because they can’t find work, and the government doesn’t provide needed aid.” Coralys Delgado, 21, recalled how pallets of expired food and water intended for hurricane victims were discovered not far from her house. She blamed Mr. Rosselló. “We are tired of the same-old — of being trampled and robbed. He has lied to us, and he keeps lying, and he doesn’t give up — and he has to.”

Thousands of people filled the Expreso Las Américas highway. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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