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WORLD NEWSThursday 31 December 2015

Padilla: Puerto Rico to default on $37M in interest due Puerto Rico police
shooting suspect
DANICA COTO territory access to debt re- He said the bonds are not the gravity of the island’s had troubled past
Associated Press organization under federal protected by the U.S. terri- situation and the need for
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) bankruptcy laws. tory. Congress to act. DANICA COTO
— Puerto Rico’s governor “I’m not asking for a bail- This is the second time that “Puerto Rico is at a dead Associated Press
announced Wednesday out,” he said. “I’m asking Puerto Rico has defaulted end, shifting funds from one SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico
that the U.S. territory will for the tools to address the on Public Finance Corpo- creditor to pay another (AP) — The policeman
meet $594 million in bond problem.” ration bonds. The govern- and diverting money from who allegedly shot three
payments due next week Puerto Rico has been in ment missed a $58 million already-depleted pension fellow officers to death at
but will still default on $37 an economic decline for bond payment in August. funds to pay both current work underwent psycho-
million in interest. nearly a decade and its Garcia has stressed that bills and debt service,” it logical treatment for a
said. decade and had faced
Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro Javier Garcia Padilla testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington on Puerto While Puerto Rico is still pur- three separate investiga-
Rico’s fiscal problems. On Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2015, Padilla said the U.S. territory will make a suing access to a bank- tions for insubordination
bond payment due the next week but default on the interest. The island is struggling with billions ruptcy mechanism, U.S. and unexcused absenc-
in public debt that Garcia has said is unpayable and needs restructuring. House Speaker Paul Ryan, es, a Puerto Rico police
a Republican from Wiscon- spokesman said.
(AP Photo/Pablo Monsivais) sin, has pledged that the Guarionex Candelario
House will come up with Rivera had been on sick
Gov. Alejandro Garcia Pa- government is struggling the government’s prior- “a responsible solution” for leave for most of Decem-
dilla said the payment in- with $72 billion in public ity is to maintain operation Puerto Rico’s debt prob- ber when he showed up
cludes $329 million in gen- debt that Garcia has said of basic services such as lems next year. unannounced Monday at
eral obligation bonds. How- is unpayable and needs re- schools, hospitals and po- In addition, the U.S. Su- the station in the southern
ever, he warned there is no structuring. lice stations. preme Court announced coastal city of Ponce to
money available for future He said the government “Puerto Rico is going to pull recently that it would hear demand a meeting with
payments, including $400 will be forced to default through,” he said. “These an appeal on a ruling that the colonel who oversees
million due in May in bonds next week on $35.9 million decisions are made to pro- barred Puerto Rico from the department, Sgt. Axel
issued by the Government in Puerto Rico Infrastructure tect Puerto Ricans.” giving municipalities the Valencia told The Associ-
Development Bank. Financing Authority bonds The U.S. Treasury said in a power to declare bank- ated Press.
Garcia said Puerto Rico and $1.4 million of Public Fi- statement that the impend- ruptcy. Col. Hector Agosto was
needs Congress to give the nance Corporation bonds. ing default demonstrates But immediate relief is need- returning from vacation,
ed, said Eric LeCompte, so he said Candelario
executive director of the should meet instead with
debt relief organization Ju- Lt. Luz Soto Segarra, who
bilee USA. was one of the officers
“No matter what the out- later shot to death, Va-
come is from the U.S. Su- lencia said. It was unclear
preme Court or even from why Candelario, a 19-year
Congress, it won’t come police veteran, requested
in time to prevent a de- the meeting, the spokes-
fault and further austerity man said.
from taking place in Puer- Authorities previously said
to Rico,” he said in a tele- Candelario took Soto hos-
phone interview. tage along with Cmdr.
The government has al- Frank Roman Rodriguez
ready increased taxes, and policewoman Rosa-
closed schools, withheld rio Hernandez De Hoyos,
tax returns and taken other then shot them.
numerous measures to cut Candelario himself was
costs and generate more shot twice during the in-
revenue amid a worsening cident and is hospitalized
economic crisis. q with a bullet lodged in his
thorax and another in his
Castro prepares Cuba for tough year despite opening arm, Dr. Israel Ayala told
reporters earlier Tuesday.
M. WEISSENSTEIN ident told the National As- most particularly food. spiraling violence. He said the 50-year-old
Associated Press sembly to expect 2 percent Castro appeared to be Cheap oil “has affected suspect might have to un-
HAVANA (AP) — President growth in gross domestic preparing Cubans for hard- our relationship of mutual dergo surgery but was ex-
Raul Castro warned Cu- product next year, half the er times ahead, saying that aid with various countries, pected to recover.
bans this week to prepare rate his government report- “we must cut any unneces- particularly the Bolivar- Associate Police Superin-
for tough economic condi- ed in 2015. sary spending and make ian Republic of Venezuela, tendent Juan Rodriguez
tions in 2016 despite warm- Foreign media are barred use of the resources that the target of an economic told the newspaper El
er relations with the United from the twice-annual we have with more ratio- war aimed at undermining Nuevo Dia that Soto’s hus-
States. meetings of the National nality and with the goal of popular support for its revo- band, a police officer who
Castro said that while tour- Assembly. developing the country.” lution,” Castro said. works in the same building,
ism is booming, low oil Despite the government’s He dedicated a lengthy He urged Cubans to avoid shot Candelario when he
prices have damaged the assertion that the GDP grew section of his speech to what he labeled “defeat- arrived at his wife’s office
outlook of an economy 4 percent this year, there is Venezuela, where the op- ism” in the face of a drop soon after she was shot.
that depends on billions of widespread dissatisfaction position to Cuba-backed in Venezuelan aid, saying Valencia said authorities
dollars of subsidized oil and among Cubans over the socialist President Nico- “the history of our revolu- expected to file charges
cash from Venezuela. widening gap between las Maduro recently took tion is full of glorious pages against Candelario once
According to state-con- low salaries and the high control of parliament amid despite difficulties, risks and his health improved. q
trolled media, Cuba’s pres- price of essential goods, widespread shortages and threats.” q