The War against Puerto Rico Continues

Episode Title: The War Against Puerto Rico Continues


Guest: Monisha Rios, a Puerto Rican psychologist and social
worker, joins us live from Puerto Rico


Political and economic tensions within the U.S.-occupied Latin
American & Caribbean nation of Puerto Rico have resulted in
another major uprising, led this time by teachers and other
workers in the public sector. A national strike is scheduled
for the 18th of February. This has come after a teacher fell
asleep at the wheel when leaving his 3rd job and died in a car
crash. https://www.latinorebels.com/2022/02/07/prteachersstrike/


 A bit of background:


 In 2016, U.S. Congress imposed a Financial Oversight &
Management Board (FOMB) as part of the Puerto Rican Oversight,
Management, & Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) to rule its
colony and impose IMF-style austerity measures to pay off an
illegal debt. This came at the request of the current PNP
Gov. Pierluisi when he was the Resident Commissioner under PDP
Gov. Padilla. Since then, there have been numerous protests
and a massive uprising (with features of a color revolution) that
forced the resignation of then Governor Roselló of the Statehood
party (PNP). Protests against the austerity measures have begun
again in response to the FOMB's actions. The FOMB has been headed
by none other than Natalie Jaresko, former Ukrainian Minister of
Finance (2014-2016) who implemented the "largest IMF program in
the institution's history" the impact of which severely harmed
the Ukrainian people. In 2017, she was sent to Puerto Rico to do
the same as Executive Director & Interim Revitalization
Coordinator of the FOMB.     


In partnership with Friends of Latin
America, Massachusetts Peace Action and Task Force
on the Americas, original broadcasts of WTF is Going on in Latin
America & the Caribbean can be viewed every Wednesday at
4:30pm PT/7:30pm ET on CODEPINK YouTube Live