Tito Kayak climbs Capitol flagpole ahead of protest against permit reform bill
Environmental groups gathered at the Puerto Rico Capitol on Tuesday to oppose Senate bills 1183 and 1173, which they say would ease approval of the Esencia mega-project in Cabo Rojo.
File photoThe short version
- El Nuevo Día reported that activist Tito Kayak placed a flag on a Capitol flagpole early Tuesday before a demonstration against the permit reform
- Telemundo Puerto Rico reported that Tito Kayak, known as Alberto De Jesús, climbed a southern-side mast at the Capitol accompanied by filmmaker Tito Román Rivera
- Sierra Club Puerto Rico director Hernaliz Vázquez Torres said the reform would weaken environmental protections, reduce public participation and favor private interests
- Protesters from groups including Sierra Club, Defiende Cabo Rojo and others claim the legislation is designed to sell Puerto Rico to large interests
Protest at the Capitol
Members of several environmental organizations planned to protest on Tuesday, Oct. 13, against a permit reform project that they allege would facilitate the development of the Esencia mega-project in Cabo Rojo. El Nuevo Día reported.
From early in the morning, activist Tito Kayak and filmmaker Tito Román moved to the site. Tito Kayak placed a flag on a Capitol flagpole, according to El Nuevo Día. Telemundo Puerto Rico reported that the environmental leader, whose full name is Alberto De Jesús, climbed one of the masts on the south side of the building as part of the demonstration against the Esencia project. He was accompanied by Tito Román Rivera and other citizens.
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
La mal llamada reforma de permisos amenaza con debilitar las protecciones ambientales, reducir la participación ciudadana y facilitar proyectos sin suficientes garantías para nuestras comunidades.
Our translation: The so-called permit reform threatens to weaken environmental protections, reduce citizen participation and facilitate projects without sufficient guarantees for our communities.
The source's own statement, as quoted by El Nuevo Día. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
Objections to Senate bills
In a press release, the demonstrators stated that the protest specifically seeks to express rejection of Senate Project 1183 and Senate Project 1173, both known as the “permit reform.” The groups insist that the legislation is designed to sell Puerto Rico to large interests through the flexibilization of permit granting, El Nuevo Día reported.
The action occurs as the Legislature prepares to consider the permit reform project. Sierra Club Puerto Rico director Hernaliz Vázquez Torres questioned the provisions that seek to expedite permits and who would benefit. She stated that the so-called reform threatens to weaken environmental protections, reduce citizen participation and facilitate projects without sufficient guarantees for communities.
Where the sources differ
Both El Nuevo Día and Telemundo Puerto Rico reported on the same Tuesday morning protest at the Capitol led by Tito Kayak and Tito Román. The sources agree on the timing, the presence of the two named individuals and the focus on opposing the Esencia project and permit reform. El Nuevo Día provides extensive detail drawn from a press release and a separate Sierra Club statement by Hernaliz Vázquez Torres, including bill numbers, the list of participating groups and criticism of the lack of public hearings on a 1,000-page substitute bill. Telemundo Puerto Rico offers a shorter account that adds the specific location of the mast on the south side but does not mention the bill numbers, Vázquez Torres or the broader list of organizations.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether the protest took place as planned later in the day, how many people ultimately participated, whether any arrests or incidents occurred at the Capitol, or what immediate response if any came from legislators or the governor. They also do not indicate the current status of Senate bills 1183 and 1173 or when a vote might occur.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting “Esencia no va”: Tito Kayak coloca bandera en asta de Capitolio previo a protesta contra reforma de permisos
- Reporting Protesta contra Esencia: Tito Kayak sube a un mástil en el Capitolio
How we checked this
El Nuevo Día supplied the majority of the details on the groups involved, the content of the press release and the full Sierra Club position. Telemundo Puerto Rico independently confirmed the flagpole climb and the identities of the two main participants. All information is drawn from these two outlets published on Oct. 13.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.