Thousands of people marched at a rally in San Juan Thursday to protest government budget cuts that will eliminate 17,000 jobs as a means to close Puerto Rico's $3.2 billion budget gap.
The first round of public sector job cuts is expected to take place in November.
Puerto Rico's unemployment rate already was 15.8% in August, higher than any U.S. state, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national unemployment rate was 9.5% in September.
The massive rally was held at the Plaza Las Americas, the largest shopping mall in the Caribbean with 300 stores and 30 restaurants, according to the Associated Press.
The mall was closed for the day, as were some schools, stores and businesses. Government agencies, including the Puerto Rico Tourism Co., remained open.
Hotels were making alternate transportation plans for guests, in case taxi drivers in San Juan joined the strike. The airport and cruise port were operating normally, according to a tourism spokesperson.
