Puerto Rico: Trapped Amidst the Perilous Winds of Colonialism and Hurricanes with Nelson Denis, a former New York State assemblyman, is the author of War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in Americas Colony and joins us now as we examine Puerto Rico between a rock and a hard place: between colonialism and hurricanes and David Galarza, Puerto Rican Independence and labor activist
Puerto Rico is no stranger to crisis. Before Marias rampage through the archipelago, Puerto Rico was already in the midst of one of the most devastating financial and socio-political crises in its recent history, with an unaudited $74 billion debt under its belt, $49 billion in pension obligations, and several decades worth of illegal bond issuances and trading related to its status as an overly-advertised tax haven. Neoliberal policies such as draconian budget cuts and extreme austerity measures had already rendered life in Puerto Rico quite precarious. And the whole thing was being overseen and managed simultaneously by Governor Rossell, an unelected and antidemocratic Fiscal Control Board, and judge Laura Taylor Swain, all of whom were going back and forth on the countrys fiscal management and debt restructuring processes. Now, first Irmas and then Marias passing and aftermath have once again brought to light Puerto Ricos primordial conundrum: colonialism. Nelson Denis and David Galarza discuss the humanitarian crisis that is exploding in Puerto Rico, the consequences of the Jones Act and the junta and how nullification of the Jones Act, cancellation of the multi-billion dollar debt and the implementation of environmentally conscious sustainability planning are imperative for Puerto Rico to rebuild for its native inhabitants.
produced by Mimi Rosenberg and Ken Nash
please notify us if you plan to broadcast this program - knash@igc.org
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