Protesters in Puerto Rico demand governor's ouster

Hundreds of people joined a protest Thursday organised by Puerto Rican singer René Pérez of Calle 13 fame in a demonstration reminiscent of those that ousted the island's former governor last year.

Anger has grown over emergency aid that until recently sat unused in a warehouse amid ongoing earthquakes.

Protesters gathered under the heavy rain at the governor's mansion as they waved flags and banged on pots, demanding the ouster of Governor Wanda Vázquez.

"This is not the end! It's just the beginning!" one of the protest organizers yelled to a cheering crowd, which had marched to the mansion from the Capitol building.

The newest protest unleashed debate about whether Puerto Ricans should try to oust Vázquez as the US territory struggles to recover from a recent 6.4 magnitude earthquake which killed one person and damaged hundreds of homes in the island's southern region.

Officials are still awaiting millions of dollars in federal funds for Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that hit in September 2017.

Pérez was joined at the protest by St Louis Cardinals baseball player Yadier Molina.

Concerns over alleged corruption and mismanagement have delayed federal funds to Puerto Rico and led US officials to impose new restrictions as the island struggles to emerge from a 13-year recession.