“Faced with an unelected Fiscal Control Board and a complicit Governor who is seeking to destroy unions, workers’ rights and the public education system on the Island, the people of Puerto Rico are confronting one of our gravest moments in recent memory. Right now, Puerto Ricans need support and courageous leadership, yet the Island’s government continues to find ways to weaken the people. Let’s us not be fooled—today’s decision will not help the Island.

The Control Board and the Governor of Puerto Rico have one thing in common —they don’t have the interests of the people of Puerto Rico at heart. Instead, their only interest is to serve the bondholders. It’s worth remembering that, as candidates, both the current Governor and the current Resident Commissioner in Congress repeatedly told Washington, Wall Street and everyone else, that Puerto Rico could and should pay all of its public debt, the impact on the people of Puerto Rico of so doing be damned.

The Government of Puerto Rico must put the people before the debt, audit the debt, and support the island. They must fight antiquated regulations, identify productive solutions and diversify the economic base, instead of solely protecting bondholders.”

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