USA Beats PR In World Baseball Final

Los Angeles (PRM) -- After an undefeated streak marked by some nerve-
wracking games, the Puerto Rican team fell to Team USA 8 to 0 in the to-
urnament final last night, missing its shot at Puerto Rico's first ever World
Baseball Classic championship. Puerto Rico also made it to the finals at
the last WBC in 2013, but was defeated that time by the Dominican Re-
public. The United States team had been beaten by Puerto Rico earlier
in this tournament, in the Pool F game on March 17th. The Boricua te-
am won that encounter 6-5. It then advanced to the semifinals, where it
defeated The Netherlands in another nailbiter, this one a 4 to 3, 11 inn-
ing game this past Monday night.

The Puerto Rican team, which gained notoriety not just for its perform-
ance, but also for its signature blond-dyed hair, will nonetheless receive
a hero's welcome in San Juan  later this morning. The team is expected
to arrive at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport at around 11:00 AM
local time. They will then lead a caravan from the airport to the Conven-
tion Center in Miramar, where a celebration will take place from 1:00 to
7:00 PM. WIPR TV will broadcast the event.

Puerto Rico News Digest For May 16, 2016

BERNIE SANDERS CAMPAIGNS IN PR

From Caribbean Business:

"The Vermont senator is expected to present an economic recovery plan for 

the island on Monday and talk about the crisis’ impact on its education and 

health systems. He will hold a town hall meeting at the Fundación Luis Mu-

ñoz Marín in San Juan at 9 a.m., go to the Juan Ponce de León School in Gu-

aynabo at 3 p.m. and then speak at an event at the University of Puerto Rico’s 

Río Piedras Campus at 7 p.m. His visit comes a day before former U.S. Presi-

dent Bill Clinton arrives to campaign for wife Hillary Clinton. The island “fa-

ces enormous problems,” with poverty and unemployment rates that are “much 

too high,” Bloomberg quoted the senator as saying. “And meanwhile, the vultu-

re capitalists on Wall Street are trying to get a hundred percent back on their 

bonds at a time when so many of the children and the people of this island are 

suffering...”

TEACHERS' UNION REJECTS EVALUATION PLAN

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Members of the National Union of Educators and Education Workers (UNE-
TE by its Spanish acronym) on Thursday rejected the agreement the Teachers
Association had reportedly arrived at with the secretary of Education with res-
pect to using the results of the META-PR tests to evaluate teachers. “Recent
statements by the secretary of Education indicated that he would impose a per-
centage -- around 20 percent -- of the evaluation of the teacher based on the re-
sults of the tests, and has the approval of the Teachers Association,” said Virgi-
lio Vázquez, librarian and vice president of UNETE. “This is unacceptable be-
cause the Association must not arrive at an agreement with management that
will be used to fire teachers.”

IBERIA REESTABLISHES DIRECT CONNECTION

From News Is My Business:

"Puerto Rico government officials welcomed Sunday the return of Spanish air-

line Iberia, which has resumed direct flights after a three-year absence. Iberia 

has scheduled three weekly direct flights between Madrid and San Juan through 

October, which will represent an economic boost for the island of $21.2 million, 

Tourism Co. Executive Director Ingrid Rivera-Rocafort said..."

BELTRAN 3RD PR PLAYER TO HIT 400 RUNS

From ESPN:

"Carlos Beltran belted career home run No. 400 on Sunday afternoon, which put 

the New York Yankees slugger in some rare company. The 39-year-old became 

the 54th player in major league history to reach that milestone and just the fourth 

switch-hitter. He joined fellow Yankee Mickey Mantle, Eddie Murray and Chipper 

Jones...Beltran is only the third Puerto Rico-born player to hit 400, along with Car-

los Delgado and Juan Gonzalez..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For May 5, 2016

DEMOCRATS PUSH FOR PR DEBT MEASURE

From Bloomberg:

"House Democrats are stepping up pressure on Republicans to advance legis-
lation addressing Puerto Rico’s worsening debt crisis by issuing a report ar-
guing that austerity cuts can’t be sustained and have made the island more
vulnerable to the mosquito-borne Zika virus. Health-care cuts in response to
the $70 billion debt crisis have created a potentially “disastrous” outcome for
residents and show how further sharp reductions in government spending can’t
be a part of a legislative solution, according to the report released Wednesday
by Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee..."

TAXI DRIVERS PROTEST UBER IN SAN JUAN

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"The streets of San Juan were clogged with traffic Tuesday during a protest
carried out by taxi drivers against the possible arrival on the island of the com-
panies Uber and Lyft. The demonstration, organized by the Puerto Rico Fede-
ration of Taxis, began Tuesday morning at Luis Muñoz Marín International Air-
port in Isla Verde and proceeded to the Capitol in San Juan. Juan de León, pre-
sident of the federation, said the protest took place because the government so-
ught to “leave behind a sector that has been growing with the development of
our country and has contributed to the treasury to allow the entrance of com-
panies that take out money and don’t contribute anything...”

FEDS WANT PIERLUISI TO RETURN MONEY

From Caribbean Business:

"The Federal Election Commission (FEC) wants Puerto Rico’s Resident Co-
mmissioner in Washington, Pedro Pierluisi, to return more than $91,000 in ge-
neral election donations to his reelection campaign for resident commissioner,
Politico magazine reported Wednesday. The FEC contends that, since Pierluisi
is retiring from his nonvoting position in Congress to run for Puerto Rico gover-
nor, there is no need for him to retain those funds. The Office of Electoral Comp-
troller in San Juan, which oversees campaign fundraising, has also begun an in-
vestigation into Pierluisi’s gubernatorial campaign, specifically whether he rai-
sed money from Wall Street executives and lobbyists without reporting it, Poli-
tico said..."

PR IRKED BY BASEBALL SERIES UNCERTAINTY

From The Tribune-Review:

"Puerto Rico officials on Wednesday expressed indignation over the potential
cancellation of a Pittsburgh versus Miami baseball series scheduled on the is-
land, saying concerns about the Zika virus are overblown. Calling off the ga-
mes would be disrespectful to the family of the late Pirates star Roberto Cle-
mente and, more importantly, could cost the cash-strapped U.S. territory mi-
llions of dollars in lost revenue, lawmakers and tourism officials said. “It's an
outrageous situation,” Rep. Angel Matos, head of the tourism commission for
Puerto Rico's House of Representatives, told the Tribune-Review..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For September 14, 2015

CARRAIZO RATIONING CUT TO ONE DAY

Alberto Lázaro, President of AAA, Puerto Rico's water utility , announced
that users served by the Carraízo water reservoir in Trujillo Alto will go back
to Phase I water rationing starting tomorrow. This means that water service
will only be interrupted for 24hours at a time, rather than the current 48 hours.
Carraízo serves Trujillo Alto, Carolina and parts of San Juan, Gurabo and Ca-
nóvanas. Lázaro stated that rains produced by the remnants of Tropical Storm
Grace raised the reservoir's level by half a meter.

PROPERTY TAXES COULD GO UP

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Mayors Association President Rolando Ortiz Velázquez said Thursday that if
funds are taken away from municipalities as part of the fiscal adjustment plan,
residents will pay for it through increases in property taxes. The five-year fis-
cal adjustment plan proposes the repeal of subsidies to the University of Puer-
to Rico, to municipalities and to non-profit groups. Ortiz, who is the mayor of
Cayey, said they are waiting for legislation that implements the fiscal adjust-
ment plan but anticipated a fight against the measures that could trigger the
dismissal of municipal employees and curtail direct services to citizens.

POLL: PUERTO RICANS FEELING PESSIMISTIC

From Caribbean Business:

According to a poll conducted by consulting company Gallup, 6% of Puerto
Rico residents believe economic conditions on the island are getting better.
This figure ranks the island far below “the least optimistic state,” West Vir-
ginia, where 24% say economic conditions are getting better. Puerto Rico
also fares poorly compared with countries in Latin America and the Caribbe-
an, where it ranks last in economic optimism, along with Venezuela, Gallup
found. Poll results reveal Gov. Alejandro García Padilla’s approval on the is-
land to be low as well. “Fewer than one in five Puerto Ricans (19%) say they
approve of the way García Padilla is handling his job,” Gallup said in a relea-
se on its findings.

PIRATES, MARLINS MAY PLAY IN PR IN 2016

From Sporting News:

Major League Baseball is headed back to Puerto Rico next season. The Pira-
tes and Marlins will play "all or part" of a scheduled four-game series on the
island in 2016, the Los Angeles Times reports. The teams are scheduled to
play in Miami from May 30-June 2, according to schedules released last week.
The games would be moved to San Juan to celebrate Pirates legend Roberto
Clemente, the island's favorite son.

CRUISE SHIP WORKER ARRESTED FOR RAPE

From Yahoo! News:

A Carnival cruise ship worker was detained Saturday in Puerto Rico on accu-
sations he raped a woman onboard, according to authorities. Police said the
alleged rape occurred in one of the cabins of the Carnival Liberty ship that is
docked in San Juan. The unidentified man has not been charged.

Do Puerto Rican ballplayers belong in a stateside or potential international MLB draft?

ESPN

Asking Puerto Ricans for their thoughts on how their young players are drafted by
Major League Baseball as part of the June first-year player draft is a little like po-
lling them about their political status with the United States: It’s complicated.

When considering their place somewhere between the spectrum of U.S. statehood
or independence, Puerto Ricans have generally voted for the status quo (a U.S.
commonwealth). But that could have been because those referendums, the biggest
ones held in 1998 and again most recently in 2012 (empty ballots notwithstanding),
were non-binding -- meaning that in political status, as with their place in Major
League Baseball, Puerto Ricans really have no right to self-determination. The
United States and Major League Baseball hold the cards.

Yes, it is complicated indeed...[CONTINUE READING]

Puerto Rico News Digest For February 3, 2015

CELAC CALLS FOR DECOLONIZATION

Photo: The Costa Rica News

From The San Juan Daily Star:


With the support of Cuba and Venezuela, the heads of state and
government of the 33 member countries of the Community of Latin
American and Caribbean States (CELAC) have ratifi ed their call
for the decolonization of Puerto Rico to free the Caribbean of
colonies. Their common stand was included in the final decla-
ration of the Third Summit of Heads of State and Government of
CELAC, adopted late last week in Belén, Costa Rica and posted
on the group’s website. The leaders also reiterated the Latin
American and Caribbean nature of Puerto Rico, in line with the
stand assumed previously in the Declaration of Havana at the
end of the 2014 CELAC Summit.

MIGRANTS MISSING AFTER BOAT SINKS

From Fox News:

Twelve Dominican migrants were detained and an undetermined
number are still missing after the boat they were on sank
off a beach in the northwestern Puerto Rican town of Camuy,
authorities said Monday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection official in Puerto Rico
Jeffrey Quiñones on Monday told Efe that the homemade boat
was 9 meters (29.5 feet) in length and sank last Friday off
the coast at Camuy.

NINE INDICTED OVER KILLING OF PRISON GUARD

From Inquisitr:

According to Fox News, nine different men from Puerto Rico have
been convicted for the murder of Lt. Osvaldo Albarati on February
26, 2013. All nine of them were inmates at the Metropolitan
Detention Center in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, when the incident
occurred. Albarati had confiscated cellphones and other contraband
from the inmates. This provoked the nine inmates to retaliate.

The United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rosa
Emilia Rodriguez, claimed that this was the first murder of a
United States federal agent in Puerto Rico. Rodriguez spoke at a
press conference on Friday, explaining that the nine defendants had
carefully planned to kill the Puerto Rican correctional officer as
a direct result of the confiscated items.

VENEZUELA, MEXICO WIN 1ST CARIBBEAN SERIES GAMES

From The Idaho Statesman:

San Diego Padres utilityman Alexi Amarista hit a two-run triple to
lead Venezuela to a 5-2 victory over host Puerto Rico and Mexico beat
Cuba 2-1 Monday in the opening games of the Caribbean Series. Cinci-
nnati Reds prospect Daryl Thompson gave up a run in six innings and
struck out five for the Venezuelan team, Los Caribes de Anzoategui.
Cleveland Indians minor leaguer Giovanni Soto got the loss for the
Puerto Rican team, Los Cangrejeros de Santurce.

PR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY FALLS 1.4% IN DECEMBER

From Reuters:

Puerto Rico's economic activity fell 1.4 percent year-on-year in
December, the U.S. Commonwealth's Government Development Bank
(GDB) said on Friday. The GDB's Economic Activity Index, which
tracks employment, gasoline sales and other indicators on the
island, slipped to 125.3 in December, 2014.

Puerto Rico News Digest For January 30, 2015

GOVT TO GIVE DISADVANTAGED 'REWARD CARDS'

From The San Juan Daily Star:

The Puerto Rico government is planning to hand out cumulative
credit cards, known as “rewards cards,” to certain disadvantaged
sectors as part of the Tax Reform. House Treasury Committee
Chairman Rafael “Tatito” Hernández made the announcement during
a radio interview on Wednesday. Similar to a rewards card given
by some retailers, the government rewards card will allow
consumersto accumulate what they have spent on the tax and then
redeem it in 90 days.

Hernández made his remarks in response to reports that the planned
value-added tax (IVA by its Spanish acronym), which entails the
imposition of a 14 percent to 18 percent tax on goods, will lead
to an increase in prices and inflation. The current government
plans to change to an IVA from the current 7 percent sales and
use tax to obtain more revenues for the government and reduce
tax evasion. The proposed tax reform also entails cuts to indivi-
dual and corporate income taxes.“If a person has to pay $200 or
more in six months from what they used to pay [with the sales and
use tax IVU by its Spanish acronym) because no money is being
retained from their check, but $200 are being subtracted from
their resources, then the person is breaking even,” he said. “They
will be reimbursed in a 60- to 90-day time period with a redeemable
rewards card.”

HOUSE APPROVES $225 MILLION BOND ISSUE

From Reuters:

The Puerto Rico House of Representatives approved a bill on Thursday
authorizing a government bond issue or other borrowing of up to $225
million for public works projects across the indebted island.

The Treasury secretary can negotiate government-backed bonds with any
bank or investment firm, but because of its financial troubles Puerto
Rico has been largely reliant on hedge funds for funding. Puerto Rico
is struggling with a total debt load of over $70 billion. It is in the
process of restructuring its power authority PREPA which  could
possibly involve a writedown to PREPA's $9 billion in debt.

INDEPENDENCE LEADER ASKS FOR CELAC HELP

From TeleSur:

The leader of the Puerto Rican independence movement has called on the
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States to help regain sov-
ereignty for the island. In spite of strong opposition, Puerto Rico
remains a U.S. territory; a 2012 referendum revealed that 54 percent
of the population preferred statehood.

“The persistence of colonialism in my mother land Puerto Rico constitutes
an affront to the dignity of Our America,” said Ruben Berrios Martinez,
president of the Puerto Rican Independence Party. “Colonialism is a
violation to the most elemental human rights: the inalienable right to
free determination and independence is an absolute rule of international
law.” Berrios Martinez asked CELAC, currently meeting in Costa Rica, to
introduce a plan to make the general assembly take a stance on the case
of Puerto Rico and also to demand that the U.S. government liberate Oscar
Lopez, “the longest serving political prisoner in the world having been
in prison nearly 34 years.”

BASEBALL CARIBBEAN SERIES TO START MONDAY

From Caribbean Journal:

The Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe), the championship of the best
Caribbean Winter League teams from Puerto Rico to Venezuela, is being
hosted at San Juan’s Hiram Bithorn stadium beginning Monday. This year’s
series is in Puerto Rico for the first time in four years, with a major
new guest: Cuba.

“It’s gonna be something beautiful for the island, and every year that
we do the Caribbean World Series, they always have something special,”
former Major League star second baseman Carlos Baerga told Caribbean
Journal. “But I think this one’s going to be even more special.