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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 28 June 2017

Board rejects Puerto Rico budget because of overspending

spending and ineligible ex- needed.” vised budget. Board mem-
penditures. A spokeswoman for Ros- bers are scheduled to
It is the first time the U.S. sello did not return a mes- meet Friday in Puerto Rico
territory has to submit a sage for comment. to approve the final bud-
budget approved by leg- Meanwhile, Puerto Rico get, among other things.
islators to a federal control Representative Luis Vega The budget that Puerto
board as Puerto Rico strug- Ramos rejected the Rico legislators approved
gles to emerge from a 10- board’s demands. over the weekend contains
year recession. “This is abusive and unrea- an increase from $131 mil-
The board warned that sonable,” he said. “The lion to $147 million in legis-
if the budget is not cor- $319 million that the board lative spending that was
rected, furloughs and the is demanding in cuts and not included in the original
reduction or elimination of budget adjustments are budget submitted by the
a Christmas bonus will be devastating...More than governor. The additional
The Puerto Rican flag flies in front of Puerto Rico’s Capitol as considered, measures that 90 percent of them are for expenditure will not be
in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A federal control board overseeing Gov. Ricardo Rossello has essential services, nonprofit approved, according to
Puerto Rico’s finances rejected the U.S. territory’s proposed bud- shunned. organizations, municipali- the board. In addition, the
get on Tuesday because it said it contains nearly $120 million in “This notice of violation ties, scholarships, support board rejected $78 million
overspending. serves as an opportunity for the agricultural industry set aside in non-legislative
(AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo) to take the necessary cor- and other entities.” expenditures for subsidies
By DANICA COTO territory’s proposed bud- rective action,” the board The board said Rossello’s to municipalities and sports
Associated Press get on Tuesday because said in its letter. “Given the administration has until activities, among other
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) it said it lacks at least $200 gravity of Puerto Rico’s fis- Thursday to submit a re- things.q
— A federal control board million in specific cost-sav- cal and liquidity situation,
overseeing Puerto Rico’s ing measures and contains further adjustments to the
finances rejected the U.S. nearly $120 million in over- proposed budget are
Brazil:

Temer says corruption charge is ‘soap opera’

By MAURICIO SAVARESE The prosecutors “created did not take part in the JBS
SARAH DiLORENZO a soap opera plot,” Temer plea bargain negotiations.
Associated Press said in a brief statement It reaffirmed the top pros-
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s to reporters and allies, his ecutor’s “probity, transpar-
president dismissed cor- first comments since the ency and responsibility in
ruption allegations against indictment was presented. his dealings in the public
him as a “soap opera plot” “I say without fear of being sphere.” The president’s of-
Tuesday and sought to cast wrong that the accusation fice did not respond to a
doubt on the motivations is fiction.” request to elaborate.
of the country’s top pros- Relying on innuendo, Te- Temer poured out a stream
ecutor a day after a scath- mer also implied that Janot of adjectives to heap scorn
ing indictment was issued himself might be involved on the accusations against
against the leader. in a kickback scheme. The him, calling them injuri-
President Michel Temer is president noted that a for- ous, undignified, infamous,
fighting to hold onto his mer aide to the prosecutor shaky, dangerous, irrespon-
job after Attorney General is making “millions” working sible, frail and precarious.
Rodrigo Janot filed an in- with the law firm represent- Even for Brazilians virtu-
dictment with the Supreme ing the company at the ally inured to revelations
Federal Tribunal on Mon- center of the accusations of corruption among their
day. The charge sheet ac- against Temer. politicians, the accusations
cuses Temer of corruption “Maybe the millions in fees against Temer were shock-
for allegedly accepting received weren’t only for ing, allegedly occurring
bribes from an executive at the trusted aide, but ... I just this year, three years
a major meatpacker in ex- will not conjecture,” Temer into the largest corruption
change for help influenc- said. Janot’s office said in a investigation the country’s
ing the decisions of state statement that the former history, known as Opera-
bodies. aide mentioned by Temer tion Car Wash.q