Puerto Rican archbishop asks UN help to ease debt crisis

December 11, 2015

Puerto Rico’s leading Catholic prelate pleaded for negotiations to address a looming debt crisis in a December 8 address to the United Nations.

“The debt is unpayable,” said Archbishop Roberto Gonzalez Nieves of San Juan, “and no matter what the government of Puerto Rico or certain creditors might say, there is a very real humanitarian crisis.” With Puerto Rico facing a billion-dollar payment on government debt in January, the archbishop called for steps to ease the crushing burden of such payments.

“I don’t come to this table as an expert or even as a creditor,” Archbishop Gonzalez said, but “out of deep concern for my people who are suffering.” In fact, the San Juan archdiocese does hold Puerto Rican government bonds.

 

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Further information:

• Mgr. Gonzalez Nieves to the United Nations: "I come for my people who are suffering" (Fides)