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Friday, March 27, 2015

Puerto Rico News Digest For March 27, 2015


LUGARO'S OFFICE RAIDED BY AUTHORITIES


El Nuevo Dia















The Truillo Alto offices of América Aponte & Associates, the educational
company led by independent gubernatorial candidate and  lawyer Alexandra
Lúgaro, has been raided this morning by agents  from the FBI, ICE and the
Department of Education. The action is part of 17 such raids being conduc-
ted today on businesses across the island, and may have to do with a fraud
investigation involving companies that provide services to the Department
of Education. An FBI spokesman would not specify what the exact reason
for the raids was.

Lúgaro, who had  announced her candidacy on March 17, stated that she
was willing to cooperate with law enforcement: "I've always acted within
the law. They can take everything. I don't have anything. I've done things
correctly."



Follow our Twitter feed, @ThePRMonitor for the latest developments.



TRAFFIC HEADACHES ON PR-52 THIS MORNING


Photo: @portotay (Twitter)


















The reversible lane on Luis A. Ferré Expressway (PR-52) from Caguas
to San Juan is closed this morning, causing massive traffic jams on that
stretch of road. Drivers are advised to take Road PR-1 as an alternate
route. The reason given by the Roads & Transportation Authority for
the closure was that a part in the equipment that moves the barriers to
change the lane's direction is broken. However, the agency's director
also admitted this morning that they owe money to the company that
manages the expressway, although she added that the financial issues
have "nothing to do" with today's situation. No exact time has been
given for the lane's reopening.


NPP REP: LISTEN TO MAYORS ON IVA OPPOSITION


From The San Juan Daily Star:

New Progressive Party (NPP) Rep. Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló on
Wednesday called on Gov. Alejandro García Padilla to “use his
conscience” after mayors of the Popular Democratic Party (PDP)
who oppose the 16 percent value-added tax met with him Tuesday
at La Fortaleza and were left unconvinced by the governor on
why the tax should be implemented and why it would be good for
the salaried middle class. “I invite the governor and the PDP
majority to set aside the improvisation and work on the economic
issues with seriousness and moderation,” Rodríguez Aguiló said.


COAST GUARD SEIZED 1,100 LBS OF COCAINE


From Latin Post:

The U.S. Coast Guard last week seized a shipment of about 1,100
pounds of cocaine worth some $16 million off the coast of Puerto
Rico, Miami ABC affiliate WPLG reported. The USCGC Tahoma on
March 18 intercepted a suspicious go-fast, which had been detected by
a Joint Interagency Taskforce South maritime patrol aircraft and was
heading towards the U.S. territory, Fort Myers' Fox 4 detailed. Once
the Tahoma seized the contraband,  Coast Guardsmen arrested three
citizens of the Dominican Republic,  who were later transferred into
the custody of Drug Enforcement  Administration special agents in
Puerto Rico and are now facing charges.


PR TO RECEIVE WORLD'S TWO BIGGEST CRUISES


From UT San Diego/AP:

Puerto Rico is preparing to welcome the world's two largest cruise ships
for the first time next year. The executive director of the island's Tourism
Company says Royal  Caribbean's Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas
will bring an estimated 60,000 passengers to San Juan in 2016. Next year's
visits are expected to generate an estimated $6.4 million in revenue.

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