Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 7 February 2018

Puerto Rico vows to protect its public employees Hostile homecoming

for ex-rebel seeking
ricane Maria hit on Sept. Colombia presidency
20, the board sued Puerto
Rico's government for re-
fusing to impose furloughs BOGOTA, Colombia (AP)
and other cost-saving — It was a hostile home-
measures. coming for former guerrilla
In one of several letters filed leader Rodrigo Londono
Monday, the board said as he campaigned for Co-
the government must re- lombia's presidency in the
vise its fiscal plan to clear- coffee-growing region he
ly show the link between abandoned four decades
the proposed tax reforms ago to join the rebels.
and any anticipated eco- Londono's trip to his home-
nomic growth. It also said town of La Tebaida over
the administration of Gov. the weekend was tout-
Ricardo Rossello has to be ed by his supporters as
more specific in its capital a chance to canvass for
investment plan and note votes with a message of
the sources of funding for hope and justice for the
all investments. poor.
The board questioned the But it was nearly wrecked
government's estimate before even beginning
that it needs only $400 mil- when he was chased out
Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello speaks during a news conference, in Washington. lion a year for capital ex- of the nearby city of Arme-
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) nia earlier in the weekend.
penditures, saying there
is no analysis to support a A video circulating on so-
By DANICA COTO financially affect govern- land levels. The board said reduction to that amount. cial media showed the
Associated Press ment workers. no state requires that em- It noted that federal funds moment when Londono,
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) The control board that ployers provide vacation would not cover many wearing bulletproof vest,
— Puerto Rico government oversees Puerto Rico's fi- pay, and that only nine of of the capital expendi- had to be hurried out of
officials on Tuesday pushed nances is demanding 50 U.S. states require any tures required. The board a building by his nervous
back against a federal changes in the territory's fis- paid sick leave. also called for sharp cuts bodyguards past a small
control board's suggestion cal plan, and more details "It is imperative that Puerto in government pensions, group of hecklers waiting
that they cut benefits for about it. The board sug- Rico seize this moment to with a 25 percent reduc- for him.
the U.S. territory's employ- gested late Monday that fundamentally reform an tion imposed on people Later, riot police had to
ees to cope with an 11- the government could cut economy that has been in whose combined pension be called in to control an
year financial crisis. costs by making severance a long-term recession, even and social security income angry mob that to shouts
Secretary of Public Affairs pay and Christmas bonus- before Hurricanes Irma and is above a $1,000 a month of "assassin" and "rapist"
Ramon Rosario said the es optional or by reducing Maria," wrote board chair- poverty line. Puerto Rico pelted his armored SUV
government won't imple- requirements for vacation man Jose Carrion. has until Feb. 12 to submit a with eggs and violently
ment any measures that and sick leave to U.S. main- One month before Hur- revised fiscal plan. q ripped off a plastic spoiler
from the roof.
Journalists flee Venezuela over libel lawsuit Londono, who is bet-
ter known by his nom de
guerre Timochenko, dis-
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) Maduro's socialist adminis- violations that are punish- numerous awards and took missed the incidents as the
— Four prominent Venezu- tration. able by up to four years part in the Panama Papers work of a small group of
elan journalists have fled Among them is Joseph in prison. Poliszuk says the investigation. Saab is dis- right-wing extremists bent
the South American coun- Poliszuk, co-founder of journalists recently left Ven- puting an article published on sabotaging implemen-
try after being sued by a website Armando.info. He ezuela at the advice of last year linking him to Hong tation of the 2016 peace
politically connected busi- said Tuesday that he and lawyers. Kong-based company ac- accord between the gov-
nessman over an article al- three colleagues were He said they'll continue cused of selling food to the ernment and his Revolu-
leging irregularities in food sued by Colombian busi- working from abroad. government at exorbitant tionary Armed Forces of
sales to President Nicolas nessman Alex Saab for libel The website has received prices. q Colombia. q