Puerto Rico opposition blasted for putting status issue ahead of debt crisis

The ruling PPD party’s candidate for governor of Puerto Rico said Tuesday that the request by the opposition to withdraw the petition for the island to resort to U.S. bankruptcy law to resolve its financial crisis shows how “some put the defeat of the opposition and the stubborn push of an alternate status before the (Puerto Rico’s) best interests.”

“Puerto Rico has painful examples in its recent past in which electoral interests and ideological obsession were put ahead and caused serious damage to its economy and governance,” David Bernier said.

On Monday, a group of legislators from the opposition PNP asked party leader Pedro Pierluisi, who is Puerto Rico’s nonvoting representative in the U.S. Congress, to withdraw the bill he put forward to allow the island’s administration to seek protection under Chapter 9 of the bankruptcy code.

In written statements, the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate reiterated his backing of the bill and urged political leaders “to first think of Puerto Rico and its future rather than the mirage of an ephemeral victory in exchange for the defeat and collapse of (the island).”

“Times of crisis like these call for unity of purpose, selflessness and a high sense of duty to our people, beyond simple electoral considerations and ideological obsession,” he said, referring to the November general elections.

The Puerto Rican government for months has been trying to get Congress to give the island authorization to use federal bankruptcy law to accomplish an orderly restructuring of its roughly $73 billion in debt.

The PNP on Monday proposed withdrawing the bankruptcy bill, arguing that efforts should be focused on Puerto Rico’s petition to become the 51st state and abandon its status as a U.S. commonwealth.

The PPD advocates retaining the current status, but with adjustments giving Puerto Rico greater autonomy.