Puerto Ricans March in May Day Strike as Debt Deadline Nears
*Hat tip to Sandra Aponte Salazar who asked that we cover the Puerto Rico crisis protest, going on today. She said it best: “As you know, mainstream media seldom covers PR issues because they are considered ‘foreign’. You and I know better. We are talking about 4 million US citizens ‘that look like this’ being ignored and abused just because they reside in the island they were born. They never crossed the border. The ‘border’ crossed them in 1898.”
By Danica Coto, Associated Press (3 minute read) 
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hundreds of protesters blocked roads in Puerto Rico’s capital Monday as May Day demonstrators angered by a decade-long economic crisis marched against looming austerity measures and demanded an audit to identify those responsible for running up a $70 billion public debt load.
Demonstrators wearing black T-shirts banged large wooden placards painted with a black Puerto Rican flag against the ground as they headed toward the U.S. territory’s financial center.
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“Ricky is selling the island!” they yelled in reference to Gov. Ricardo Rossello, whose administration is expected to announce soon whether it has reached a deal with bondholders to restructure a portion of the debt or embrace a bankruptcy-like process.
The protests and strike affected services at Puerto Rico’s largest public hospital, paralyzed the bus system and forced many businesses to close. Demonstrators also briefly blocked traffic near San Juan’s international airport, prompting some travelers to walk along the highway dragging suitcases.
Puerto Rico is struggling to emerge from a recession caused in part by previous administrations that for decades borrowed billions of dollars to cover budget deficits.
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