Puerto Rico News Digest For June 15, 2016

PUERTO RICO MOURNS ORLANDO VICTIMS

From US News/AP:

"Puerto Ricans held somber vigils and prepared to bury many of their own
after authorities said nearly half of those killed at a gay night club in Florida
had ties to the U.S. territory. Officials said that while it's still unclear how ma-
ny of the 23 Puerto Ricans killed were born on the U.S. mainland or had mo-
ved there from the island, they expect many of them to be laid to rest in Puer-
to Rico in the coming days...The shooting early Sunday at the Pulse nightclub
in Orlando that killed 49 people has shaken Puerto Rico's gay community and
shocked the U.S. territory as a whole..."

US SENATE TO CONSIDER PROMESA IN JUNE

From Caribbean Business:

"Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday the Senate will consider a
rescue package to ease Puerto Rico’s financial crisis before the U.S. territory’s
$2 billion payment to creditors is due July 1. The House overwhelmingly pa-
ssed legislation to create a new control board and restructure some of Puerto
Rico’s $70 billion debt last week. The Senate is expected to take up the same
bill “sometime before the end of the month,” McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters
Tuesday..."

FBI INVESTIGATES BANKER'S DEATH IN PR

From The New York Times:

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified possible suspects in its long-
running investigation into the murder of a banker in Puerto Rico,  but it is now
asking the public for help in solving the 2011 killing. Five years ago this week,
Maurice Spagnoletti, a top executive at Doral Financial, the holding company
that owned a Puerto Rico bank, was gunned down on his way home from work
in San Juan...The F.B.I. announced on Tuesday a $20,000 reward for information
that leads to an arrest..."

LIBERTY LAUNCHES HBO NOW IN PUERTO RICO

From News Is My Business:

"Starting [yesterday], Liberty Puerto Rico’s customers will begin to enjoy HBO
NOW, a new service from HBO for internet customers who want to watch the
network’s programming but are not subscribed to a video service. Liberty Puer-
to Rico is the only telecom provider to offer this service on the island, the com-
pany said. HBO NOW is an independent streaming service from HBO Networks
that provides unlimited access to all of HBO’s programming, including series, mo-
vies, documentaries and specials..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For November 23, 2015

ALVAREZ DEFEATS COTTO FOR TITLE

From Caribbean Business:

"Canelo Álvarez made a case for himself as boxing's next star Saturday
night, landing the bigger punches to take a unanimous decision over Mi-
guel Cotto and win a piece of the middleweight title. Álvarez took the fi-
ght to Cotto from the opening bell, winning rounds with big right hands
and uppercuts. Cotto tried to box and had his moments, but Álvarez was
clearly ahead as the crowd stood on its feet as both fighters traded pun-
ches in the final rounds. Álvarez won the WBC version of the title that
Cotto vacated days earlier for not paying sanctioning fees. His win set up
a possible megafight with Gennady Golovkin, the middleweight champion
who was watching at ringside...Álvarez won by scores of 117-11, 119-109
and 118-110. The Associated Press had him ahead 116-112..."

DORAL BANK EXEC. ASSSISTANT ARRESTED

From US Attorney's Office:

"Nancy Vélez-Arroyo, Senior Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Offi-

cer and Board of Directors of Doral Bank was indicted on November 18, 2015, 

for obstruction of justice and knowingly making false statements while under 

oath and testifying before a federal grand jury, announced U.S. Attorney Ro-

sa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico. The indictment in-

cludes three perjury charges and two obstruction of justice charges. During 

her testimony before the grand jury, Nancy Vélez-Arroyo disavowed her in-

volvement in a vendor’s contract with Doral Bank, its terms, payment sche-

dule, and the participants involved in a scheme to defraud. However, e-mails, 

telephone records, and other evidence showed that Vélez-Arroyo had, not on-

ly knowledge, but played an active role and participated in those dealings. Ra-

ther than provide complete and truthful testimony before the grand jury, Vé-

lez-Arroyo endeavored to corruptly influence, obstruct, and impede the fede-

ral investigation..."

PUERTO RICO SEES 9% RISE IN HOMELESSNESS

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"Local communities in Puerto Rico reported that a total of 4,518 people, in-

cluding veterans, have experienced homelessness, representing a 9 percent 

increase since 2010, the year President Obama launched Opening Doors, the 

nation’s first-ever comprehensive strategy to prevent and end homelessness, 

the U.S. Department of Hous-ing and Urban Development (HUD) announ-

ced Thursday. Puerto Rico is experiencing a fiscal crisis that has aff ected 

the economy as a whole, leading to home foreclosures and layoffs..."

TOURISM LOOKS TO POSITIVE WINTER SEASON

From News Is My Business:

"What with new airline connections, more cruise ships docking into port 

and demand for hotel rooms, things are looking up for Puerto Rico’s tour-

ism industry as the winter season goes into high gear next month. “The in-

dustry is forecasting a good season,” said Ingrid Rivera-Rocafort, executi-

ve director of the Tourism Co. and Puerto Rico’s premier marketer. Alrea-

dy for some hotels, she said, “there are sold out periods like Christmas...”

CREDITORS MAY SUPPORT DEBT OVERHAUL

From The New York Times:

"Some of Puerto Rico’s most influential creditors are for the first time sig-

naling support for the broad outline of a government proposal to overhaul 

the island’s crushing debts. The San Juan government, squeezed by $72 bi-

llion in debt and a stagnant local economy, has been weighing whether to

keep paying bondholders or  defaulting, a move that could trigger dozens 

of lawsuits by creditors  and drag out Puerto Rico’s fiscal problems for ye-

ars. A $354 million  payment is due on Dec. 1. Seeking to avoid protracted 

legal skirmishes, Puerto Rico officials have been trying to engage various 

creditors in  deals that would avert default. In meetings with advisers to cre-

ditor groups on Friday, the government’s chief adviser,  Jim Millstein, pre-

sented a proposal to exchange the island’s existing bonds for new debt that 

would be less burdensome to Puerto Rico..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For March 13, 2015

CUBAN MIGRANTS RESCUED FROM MONITO

Photo: U.S. Coast Guard

From Local 10:

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued eight Cuban migrants from Monito Island,
Puerto Rico Wednesday afternoon, following a two-day rescue effort in the
Mona Passage. Authorities said the seven men and woman were spotted
Tuesday afternoon by a Coast Guard  pilot who was on a routine patrol
in the Mona Passage. Authorities said the group was stranded at the
bottom of a 150-foot  cliff of the uninhabited island, which is a natural
reserve and serves as a bird habitat.

DUTCH TRAVELER KILLED IN HIT AND RUN

Globetrotter and sailor Laurens Higler, age 26, was killed this
morning on Road 3 in Guayama after being struck by a car. The
driver fled the scene after the incident.  The deceased, who was
from Holland, was stopping off in Puerto Rico during his travels
around the globe.  Police have stated that they have recovered
physical evidence which could lead them to the driver who struck
Higler.

GOVERNOR DEFENDS IVA TV MESSAGE

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Gov. Alejandro García Padilla on Wednesday defended his most recent
pre-recorded televised message, in which he justified his proposed tax
reform and the 16 percent value added tax. “What this message was
about, at the end of the day, is to be  able to speak to people directly,
and there is a public purpose that is priceless,” García Padilla said in
TV interview. “We are talking about a profound transformation and
all transformations convey resistances.”

EIGHT MURDER VICTIMS IN LESS THAN A WEEK

As reported today by El Vocero, eight people were killed -- mostly in
shootings -- between Tuesday afternoon and early Friday morning.
The incidents were reported in Hato Rey, Santurce, Yabucoa, Bayamón
and San Lorenzo. This week's murders bring the total for the month to
20, five more than at this time last year. So far, 103 violent deaths have
been registered in Puerto Rico, 27 less than last year.

MOODY'S DOWNGRADES UPR BONDS

From Caribbean Business:

Moody's Investors Service said it downgraded $489 million of  University
of Puerto Rico University system revenue bonds to  Caa2 from Caa1 and
$73 million of educational facilities revenue bonds, 2000 Series A issued
through AFICA to Caa3 from Caa2. The outlook is negative.

The rating differential between the university system revenue bonds and
the educational facilities revenue bonds reflects the subordinate pledge
and lease structure of the educational facilities revenue bonds.

DORAL BANK GOES TO CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY

From Reuters:

Doral Financial Corp filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection  on
Wednesday to wind down its remaining operations two weeks after its
Puerto Rico-based bank subsidiary was seized by regulators. Doral
Financial's bankruptcy is the latest reminder of the financial crisis on
the island, a U.S. commonwealth, which has been mired for years in
an economic slump. The bank has also been dogged by accounting
problems and an employee was recently indicted for money laundering.



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Puerto Rico News Digest For March 3, 2015

GOVERNOR GIVES OUT FIRST PARDONS

As reported by El Nuevo Dia today, Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro
Garcia Padilla granted the first pardons of his administration on
January 20th. Thirteen pardons were granted, with six total pardons
and seven conditional ones. The most serious offender who was pardoned
by Padilla was a conditional one granted to a man who had been in prison
since 1993 for first degree murder, theft, conspiracy and weapons violations.
According to the Governor's office, the pardon was granted after careful
consideration and proof of rehabilitation. The other individuals who were
pardoned all had sentences of six years or less.

INITIAL PRICE SPIKES EXPECTED UNDER IVA

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Certified Public Accountants Association President Kermit Lucena
said that when the local tax rate goes up to 16 percent in April,
people should expect an initial jump of nine points in prices for
goods, before they likely stabilize. “If you pay $1.07 now, you
will pay $1.16,” he said. “For those entities that can not absorb
the cost of the value-added tax, you will see a hike in prices.”
Lucena said he does not know whether that will lead to long-term
inflation, but has his doubts that it will. “Inflation is month by
month,” he said. “I don’t expect to see a 10 percent to 12 percent
hike month by month like in Latin America, but we will see an
initial jump.”

DORAL MADE LARGE LOAN IN FINAL WEEK

From Caribbean Business:

A week before Doral Bank was closed by federal regulators, it made
a $20 million loan to a company managed by Israeli investor Moishe
Mana for 17 different properties around Miami's Wynwood neighborhood,
according to Miami-Dade records. The 17 assorted properties owned by
Melanie Holdings LLC add up to approximately 4.9 acres of real estate.

Doral Bank was closed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC)
on Feb. 27. The bank had operations in Puerto Rico, Florida, and New
York. The FDIC entered into an agreement with Banco Popular de Puerto
Rico to sell some of the bank's assets, and is currently in two other
agreements to sell the majority of the remaining assets.

PR SENATE NIXES "ANTI-UBER" BILL

From News Is My Business:

A bill that seeks to establish public policy and regulate the operation
of mobile application-based transportation network companies, such as
San Francisco’s Uber, was struck down Monday on the Senate floor in a
13-11 vote. Bill 1209, authored and introduced last year by Sen. Antonio
Fas-Alzamora, sought to curb the arrival of these types of businesses,
known as TNCs for short, which allow consumers to submit a trip request,
which is routed to crowd-sourced taxi drivers.

WINNING POWERBALL TICKETS SOLD IN PR, USVI

From Virgin Islands Daily News:

The Caribbean was a lucky place to buy Powerball tickets this weekend
because one person in the Virgin Islands and one person in Puerto Rico
each turned a $3 investment into $2 million, according to the Powerball
website. Someone in St. Thomas, St. Croix or St. John matched five of
the six numbers in Saturday's drawing.

The numbers drawn were 11, 17, 25, 28, 46 and the Powerball number was
12, according to the website. Powerball tickets cost $2 each, and the
Powerplay option costs an extra $1. Because the Powerplay multiplier
came up as "2X," the person in Puerto Rico and the person in the Virgin
Islands doubled the $1 million they each won by matching five numbers.

Puerto Rico News Digest For February 25, 2015

PR RESIDENTS SUE PREPA FOR FRAUD

From Reuters:

Local residents and businesses sued Puerto Rico's Electric Power
Authority (PREPA) in federal court on Tuesday, alleging fraud
in the fuel oil procurement process that plaintiffs said resulted
in island residents being overcharged by more than $1 billion.

The lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico accuses PREPA,
one of the largest U.S. public utilities, of taking kickbacks to
accept millions of barrels of fuel oil from suppliers that did
not meet contract requirements or federal environmental standards.

"As a result of this scheme, PREPA overpaid its fuel suppliers
for fuel oil and passed through the entire cost of the non-
compliant fuel oil to plaintiffs," the lawsuit alleged. The
lawsuit covers oil purchases since 2002.

FAJARDO AIRPORT TO CLOSE PERMANENTLY

From Caribbean Business:

On January 21, 2015, PRPA, sponsor of Diego Jimenez Torres Airport,
informed the Federal Aviation administration (FAA) that the airport
will close permanently on April 30, 2015. Diego Jimenez Torres is
a small 94-acre non-towered, general aviation airport.

DORAL OFFICIAL ARRESTED FOR FRAUD

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Federal authorities on Monday morning arrested a Doral Bank
official and an executive whose company contracts with the
bank on charges of financial institution fraud, misapplication
of bank funds, wire fraud and money laundering. U.S. Attorney
for the District of Puerto Rico Rosa Emilia Rodríguez announced
Monday that last week a federal grand jury returned a 30-count
indictment charging Annelise Figueroa and Rolando Rivera Solis.
The FBI is in charge of the criminal investigation,Rodríguez
said. According to the indictment, Figueroa was an employee of
Doral Bank and vice president of the Property and Facilities
Department.

FIVE MORE STORES FOR MALL OF SAN JUAN

From News Is My Business:

Camicissima Milano, Geox Shoes, Invicta Watches, Diventi Bella,
and T-Mobile are the five most recent retailers adding their
names to The Mall of San Juan’s tenant mix, this media outlet
learned Tuesday. That drives the number of confirmed retailers
to just short of three dozen.

Puerto Rico News Digest For December 29, 2014

GOVERNMENT TO APPEAL DORAL RULING

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Puerto Rico Justice Secretary César Miranda said that on or before
Jan. 2, the agency will appeal the recent ruling that validated a
2012 closing agreement in which the commonwealth government pledged
to pay a refund of almost $230 million to Doral Bank. The appeal comes
days after federal authorities raided the bank in search of documents
related to the 2011 slaying of Doral Executive Vice President Maurice
Spagnoletti. It also comes as the bank faces financial struggles as
it is undercapitalized and threats to be removed from the stock market.
“Justice will appeal the ruling on Doral on or before the expiration
of the term set for January 2,” Miranda said in written statements
released by the press office.

COTTO-ALVAREZ MATCH NOT YET FINAL

From The International Business Times:

Canelo Alvarez of Mexico against Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico on Cinco
de Mayo weekend has yet to be finalised and there are rumours that
Floyd Mayweather Jr. may instead fight Puerto Rican Cotto rather than
Filipino Manny Pacquiao. The development is seen as a double blow for
boxing fans who are demanding that Mayweather face Pacquiao and who
wants to see the huge Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry match in 2015.

Mayweather and Pacquiao have recently indulged in word wars although
both camps have publicly revealed that they are willing to fight each
other on May 2, 2015 while the Alvarez vs. Cotto fight was announced
as a probable fight although date and venue have not been revealed yet.
According to Oscar De La Hoya, the head for Golden Boy promotions
which handles the Canelo fights, they want the fight on Cinco de Mayo
weekend if the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao won’t happen.

12 EX-COPS JAILED FOR RACKETEERING

From The Jamaica Observer:

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) says 12 former Puerto
Rico police officers have been jailed for running a criminal organi-
zation out of the Puerto Rico Police Department. The DOJ said
the ex-officers used their law enforcement affiliation and equipment
to commit robbery and extortion, and sell illegal narcotics and
manipulate court records.

Most of the defendants pleaded guilty on August 21 to violating the
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Four
others convicted in the case are scheduled to be sentenced in
January.

PR ONE OF LEAST CORRUPT IN REGION

From News Is My Business:

Despite Puerto Rico’s ongoing fiscal crisis and allegations of corrup-

tion by enemies of Gov. Alejandro García-Padilla, business executives 

and foreign investors still perceive the Commonwealth as relatively 

clean by Caribbean standards.

Transparency International’s 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index, 

released earlier this month, shows Puerto Rico scoring 63 on a scale of 

zero to 100, with zero being the most corrupt and 100 representing the 

cleanest. The island tied for 31st place worldwide this year — along 

with Portugal, Cyprus and the African nation of Botswana — up from 

33rd place in 2013 and 32nd the year before.

In the Caribbean, only Barbados (with a score of 74), the Bahamas (71) 

and St. Vincent (67) outranked Puerto Rico. That puts the “Isla del 

Encanto” slightly ahead of Dominica (which scored 58) and way ahead 

of  Cuba (46), Jamaica (38), Trinidad & Tobago (38), Suriname (36), 

Dominican Republic (32), Guyana (30) and Haiti (19).

Puerto Rico News Digest For October 13, 2014

HURRICANE WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PR

Above map and storm info will update automatically. Refresh to update

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are under
a Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch this
morning as Tropical Storm Gonzalo approaches the area.
As of 8:00AM AST, the center of Gonzalo was located
near latitude 17.0N, longitude 61.5 W, about 310 miles
southeast of San Juan. The storm is moving west at 10mph,
with sustained winds of 60 mph. Minimum central pressure
is 993 millibars.

Tropical Storm Gonzalo is expected to become a hurricane
tonight or Tuesday, with northeastern Puerto Rico expected
to see the most effect. Reconnaissance aircraft is currently
investigating the storm. It is recommended that all storm
preparations be completed before the end of today, and all
Puerto Rico residents are advised to stay away from shore
and avoid the use of maritime vessels.

More information HERE.

Man Gunned Down on Avenida De Diego

El Nuevo Dia reports that an unidentified man was shot
to death on De Diego Avenue in San Juan, near Piñero
Avenue, at around 6:10 AM this morning. The man's body
was found by police after gunshots were heard in the area.
De Diego Avenue remains closed while police investigate.
This is the 522nd murder in Puerto Rico so far this year.

Hacienda Seeks To Raise Revenue To Pay Doral

El Vocero reports that the island's Internal Revenue Department
('Departamento de Hacienda') will have to raise additional
revenues over the next three quarters in order to pay Doral
Bank $229.8 million, after the San Juan Superior Court declared
that the agreement the department reached with the bank in 2012
for a large tax refund was valid. Hacienda has a budget for the
2014-15 fiscal year of $187 million, and is expected to have to
disburse $45 million a year for 5 years to Doral. The payments
are expected to be at least partially financed by the sale of
Puerto Rico government bonds, $1.2 billions' worth of which
recently hit the market. The court's ruling, however, will be
appealed by the Puerto Rico government.

Small Businesses Chosen For Roosevelt Roads

From News Is My Business:


The Roosevelt Roads Redevelopment Authority announced the
selection of eight microbusinesses from Puerto Rico’s eastern
flank to establish operations inside the former Navy base
that is currently being repurposed for public access.

Six contracts have already been signed, with two pending to
be signed “soon,” to develop projects related to eco-tourism,
nature-related tourism, recreational and/or complementary
activities at nine structures spanning some 30,000 square
feet of space within the sprawling Ceiba property,
Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Malu Blázquez-
Arsuaga said Tuesday.

Puerto Rico News Digest For September 23, 2014

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Don Omar Ex-Girlfriend Reported Missing

El Nuevo Dia has reported that Rebeca Lopez, the 26 year old woman 

who last week accused reggaeton singer Don Omar of domestic violence,

has been reported missing by her family this morning. According to the

relative who filed the report, Lopez left the house at around 6:30 AM

yesterday and has not been seen since. She was driving a red 2007 Ford

Expedition, and was wearing black pants with white stripes and a white

shirt. Earlier yesterday, Lopez had expressed a desire to drop the domestic

violence case against Don Omar and move on.

UPDATE: El Vocero has reported that Rebeca Lopez has called her

mother this morning and stated that she has flown to an undisclosed

location in the mainland United States.

Melba Acosta To Head Development Bank

Current director of Puerto Rico's Internal Revenue Department
("Departamento de Hacienda") Melba Acosta, is expected to be
named the new head of the Banco Gubernamental de Fomento
(Goverment Development Bank) in the coming weeks. According
to El Vocero, the main reason for the appointment process not
having started sooner was Acosta's involvement in the Doral
Bank court case, as it was her who annulled the agreement
between Doral and Hacienda to give the bank a controversial

$229 million tax refund. The move is part of an expected cabinet
reshuffle by governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla.

Marihuana Legislation Stuck In The Chamber

Two separate pieces of legislation, one to legalize medicinal marihuana

and another to reduce penalties for possession of small amounts, are

languishing in the Chamber of Representatives for lack of sufficient

votes to pass. The measures, introduced by Popular Democratic Party

representatives José Báez and Carlos Vargas, have been struggling to

get enough support to pass among PDP members. 

Feds Investigate Island's Education Department

A risk management division of the U.S. federal government's Depart-

ment of Education is investigating the island's Department of Education

in order to audit contracts for programs which receive federal funds,

Noticel reports. The investigation comes on the heels of a disastrous

beginning of the school year, which saw several schools unable to

operate normally due to a lack of teachers and staff.

Puerto Rico News Digest For September 22, 2014

White House Intruder Is From Puerto Rico

El Nuevo Dia has reported this morning that Omar González, the man

who jumped a fence and made it to the front door of the White House

on Friday, resided in Puerto Rico when he signed up for the Army in

1997. Shortly after this, González was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas.

The former soldier reportedly suffers from PTSD after having been

deployed to Iraq. When he was apprehended, González was allegedly

armed with a small knife. 

AAA Finishes Water System Improvements 

The island's water utility, AAA (Autoridad de Acueductos y

Alcantarillados) finished improvements to its water distribution 

system on Sunday night, with affected water users in Hato Rey and

Rio Piedras experiencing gradual improvements in water flow, according 

to Noticel. Customers are encouraged to boil water for at least five

minutes in the affected areas.

More Witnesses to Testify In Doral Case

More witnesses are expected in court today in San Juan in the 

case between the island's government and Doral Bank regarding

the latter's claim for a $229 million tax refund. Among the witnesses

will be former Governor Fortuño's Subsecretary of Internal Revenue

Blanca Álvarez and Doral's Chief Financial Officer George Scopetta,

according to Metro PR.

Housing Project Rents To Rise

According to documents from the federal government's Housing 

and Urban Development department (HUD), rents for apartments in 

Puerto Rico's public housing projects will rise by as much as 35

percent. The change will become effective starting on November 1st.

Puerto Rico News Digest for September 19, 2014

Doral Bank Scores Small Victory During Court Case

El Nuevo Dia reports that Doral Bank was able to keep the Puerto Rico

Justice Department from cross-examining its main witness, the bank's

former Chief Financial Officer, during day two of the trial over Doral's 

claim that the island's internal revenue department owes it $229 million

in tax refunds. The dispute, which has been going on since May, centers

on an agreement reached with the PR government in 2012 under which

the bank would've received a large tax refund. 

Legislature Will Not Move To Cover Retirement Shortfall

Noticel reports that legislature committee leaders in the House and

Senate will not push any project to cover a $700 million deficit in the

government's Retirement System, as they are under the belief that a system

collapse is not imminent. Contributions to the Retirement System have

fallen due to late payments from state employers as well as the retirement

of a large number of employees after the 2013 reform.

Use of Power Company Helicopter for Medical Emergency Examined

El Vocero reports that New Progressive Party Senator Angel ´Chayanne´ 

Martínez sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration asking for

an investigation into the use of a helicopter owned by the AEE (Autoridad

de Energia Electrica, the island's electricity provider) to transport an 

emergency patient. The government's usual medical helicopter provider,

AeroMed, recently ceased operations due to lack of payment by the

island's government over the last 18 months. Critics of using AEE 

helicopters state that the vessels are not properly equipped to be used

for medical purposes. The Health Department and AeroMed will meet

again this Tuesday in hopes of reaching an agreement.

Woman Found Dead In Guánica Home

El Vocero reports that a 34-year-old mother of two was found dead in 

her bed yesterday morning with marks around her neck. Police are not

classifying the death as a murder until an autopsy is conducted on the 

body. Her husband, who had been accused of domestic violence in the

past, is due to be interviewed. The woman was found lying naked and 

motionless in bed early in the morning by her daughters, who thought

she was asleep and covered her up. The children's grandmother realized

that Brenda Torres Quiñones was dead and notified police.

Rain To Let Up This Morning, More To Come in Afternoon

The National Weather Service has advised that more rain can be expected

this afternoon after a brief respite during the morning hours. Police has

reported flooded roads in the municipalities of Naguabo and Rio Grande.