Puerto Rico in Distress

ABI Analysis

Puerto Rico’s beleaguered electric utility announced new progress late Wednesday in its continuing efforts to avoid a default on as much as one-eighth of the island’s total debt of $72 billion, the New York Times reported today.

Puerto Rico's governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla said yesterday that it is "very, very unlikely" there will be no default on debt due Jan. 1 and that the U.S. territory was evaluating which bonds are to be paid, Reuters reported yesterday. "Making a total payment will be (very unlikely)," Garcia Padilla said. "If a partial payment is to be done, which bonds should be paid?

Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla will pay Christmas bonuses due to public employees as the commonwealth contemplates defaulting on bond payments at the start of the year, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. The governor, who won’t seek re-election when his term expires in January 2017, will begin paying about $120 million that workers were owed as of Dec.

The battle over whether Puerto Rico should be granted bankruptcy protections centers on putting tens of billions of dollars at risk from investors around the country.

Other Resources

The Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico was created under the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act of 2016. The Board consists of seven members appointed by the President of the United States and one ex officio member designated by the Governor of Puerto Rico. Access information on the Board, documents, videos of meetings, calendar of events and live webcasts by clicking here.