Gov. Luis Fortuño on Friday ordered the withdrawal of police from the outskirts of the San Juan campus of the University of Puerto Rico, saying he hoped to foster dialogue with protesting students who have shut down the institution. “From the first day I have pursued dialogue and communication for the University of Puerto Rico to return to normality,” Fortuño said in a statement. Ending the police encirclement of the campus is aimed at providing students and administrators “with the best possible environment to talk, dialogue and understand each other,” he said.
The governor also expressed confidence that the designation of Episcopal Bishop David Alvarez as mediator between the university administration and the students would lead to a “peaceful and effective resolution.”
More than 200 students have been camped on UPR’s San Juan campus since April 21 to protest a $100 million cut in the institution’s budget, which they fear will force the administration to increase tuition.
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