Puerto Rico News Digest For June 22, 2016

MAN ARRESTED FOR MOLOTOV COCKTAILS

From US Attorney's Office:

"United States Magistrate Judge Silvia Carreño-Coll authorized a criminal
complaint charging Noel D. Cruz-Torres (“Cruz-Torres”) with malicious use
of explosives...According to the information contained in the criminal com-
plaint and affidavit, on June 18, 2016, at approximately 3:30 am, someone
called 911 to report an explosion near DuPont Pioneer. When police and fire
fighters arrived, they saw a vehicle burning nearby. A security guard reported
that an individual was throwing Molotov cocktails at the building. The offic-
ers walked around the building and saw Cruz-Torres wearing a black t-shirt
wrapped around his face and carrying a black backpack. While police purs-
ued Cruz-Torres, he threw various Molotov cocktails at the officers. He also
threw another lit Molotov at the fire truck..."

BHATIA: UN RESOLUTION TO HAVE LITTLE EFFECT

From Caribbean Business:

"Puerto Rico Senate President Eduardo Bhatia said the resolution passed by
the United Nations, which reaffirms the island’s right to self-determination
and independence will have little or no effect. “Sadly, it is very little what the
UN can do to change the internal politics of the U.S.,” Bhatia, a leader within
the Popular Democratic Party, told reporters during an interview in the San Ju-
an Capitol. After expressing his respect for the international body, he said the
UN “hasn’t been very effective,” adding, “We have to be realistic. That forum
has not managed to move the U.S. in any way in the past 30 years..."

700K+ PR YOUTH LIVE IN HIGH-POVERTY AREAS

From News Is My Business:

"Children and youth in Puerto Rico continue to live in families facing enorm-
ous economic challenges, with some 84 percent residing in areas of extreme
poverty and the parents of more than half lacking full-time, year-round emp-
loyment. These and 14 other indicators of child well being are revealed in the
2016 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which is
represented in Puerto Rico by the Youth Development Institute (YDI), a Kids
Count network partner. “Traditionally we talk about the percentage of our ch-
ildren and youth who are living below the poverty line. In Puerto Rico, that is
58 percent of our kids,” said Gloriann Sacha Antonetty, communications dir-
ector of the YDI..."

PATAKI COULD SERVE ON FINANCIAL BOARD

From The San Juan Daily Star:

"The seven-member Financial Oversight and Management Board that will be
appointed by the U.S. president as part of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Manage-
ment, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA), could include former New
York governor George Pataki, the Bond Buyer reported Monday. Pataki has a
residence on the island, according to the daily municipal finance news outlet..."

Puerto Rico News Digest For September 8, 2015

COP MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD

Police officer Miguel Pérez Ríos, age 32, was gunned down in cold blood
by four individuals early on Sunday morning near a Shell gas station on PR-
838 in Caimito. After repeatedly shooting him, the killers left the officer's
body sprawled on the pavement before fleeing the scene. The deceased lea-
ves  behind three children, plus another one that is expected to be born this
coming November. Pérez Ríos had reportedly received threats recently, li-
kely resulting from his activities as a police officer. An uncle told El Nuevo
Dia, "Because he threw so many people in jail, for drugs and things, people
had threatened to kill him". Pérez Ríos had been honored as "Officer of The
Year" on three separate occasions. Police are reportedly holding an individu-
al for questioning in relation to the murder.

UNIONS TO PROTEST IN FRONT OF CAPITOL

From Caribbean Business:

Multiple unions announced Monday they will march to the Puerto Ri-
co Capitol on Friday, at 3 p.m., against the government's fiscal adjust-
ment plan. Puerto Rican Workers Union (SPT by its Spanish initials)
President Roberto Pagán said a document leaked weeks ago belonging
to V2 Action, which provides consulting to the government's fiscal ad-
justment committee, proposes measures that affect workers, public ser-
vices and the University of Puerto Rico. The union president said "the
implementation of these measures will aggravate the economy, worsen
the quality of jobs, increase social inequality, degrade the environment
further and push more Puerto Ricans into exile."

LA FORTALEZA MUM ON RATE HIKE

From The San Juan Daily Star:

Public Aff airs Secretary Jesús Manuel Ortiz said the governor will
continue to give the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA)
free rein in its restructuring talks but did not say if it will support a
hike in power rates needed to bring the public corporation to sustai-
nability. “We have given them all the space they need without inter-
vening,” Ortiz said. “All we want is for them to negotiate a deal that
is good for the public corporation and the infrastructure.” Ortiz said
a proposed rate hike was not part of the negotiations. However, it is
part of PREPA’s recovery plan to put the utility on a sustainable path.

475,000 PR MINORS LIVE IN POVERTY

From Fox News Latino:

About 475,000 minors live in poverty in Puerto Rico, according to fi-
gures from the 2015 Kids Count Data Book and the Puerto Rico Youth
Development Institute, or IDJ. Seven of the 16 indicators measured by
the Kids Count Data Book worsened for Puerto Rico in comparison with
five years ago, IDJ executive director Xiomara Caro said. "In many of
these indicators, especially in those in the economic well-being category,
we're worse than Mississippi, which is the poorest state in the United Sta-
tes," said Caro regarding the study, which revealed that 83 percent of the
children in Puerto Rico live in zones of high poverty.