Portal:Puerto Rico/News/Archive

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2007

May

• May 5, 2007: Local economists expressed serious concerns over Puerto Rico's economic condition when it was revealed that the Government's public debt equaled 76% of the island's gross national product (GNP) in 2006-2007, making it one of the most indebted countries by percentage in the world, even more than the United States. (El Nuevo Día)
• May 5, 2007: Concerns are raised that the newly implemented Sales and Use Tax and the reduction in budgeted expenditures will not be enough to reduce the Puerto Rico Government's fiscal deficit for the 2006-2007 year. (El Nuevo Día)
• May 5, 2007: José Aponte de la Torre, long-time mayor of the Municipality of Carolina, dies of respiratory failure. He was 65. (Primera Hora)
• May 9, 2007: Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party is formally inscribed as a political party for the 2008 general elections after opposition from 2 of the 3 registered parties is withdrawn. (La Voz)
• May 20: The Puerto Rico Republican Party delegation convenes in Yauco to elect its Committee members as it prepares for primaries for the 2008 general elections. Among those elected include current Aguadilla and Yauco mayors Carlos Mendez and Abel Nazario, as well as current House Representative Jennifer González. (El Nuevo Día)
• May 20: In a widely speculated move, former Governor and current Senator Pedro Rosselló officially announced his intentions to seek the New Progressive Party's nomination for Governor in the 2008 general elections. (Primera Hora)
• May 21: The Puerto Rico Housing Department announces that a new apartment complex slated for El Condado will be built by real estate magnate Donald Trump, through one of his companies. The cost of each apartment will range between $1-$6 million. (El Nuevo Día)
• May 22: After tense negotiations between the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority and its employees' union UTIER bog down, UTIER announces a 24hr strike for May 23. (El Nuevo Día)
• May 23: José Carlos Aponte Dalmau assumes office as mayor of Carolina, Puerto Rico, just 18 days after the death of his father and former incumbent Carolina mayor, José Aponte de la Torre. (El Nuevo Día)
• May 25: 6 former members of The Mission of the Virgin Mary of the Well, (Misión de la Virgen del Pozo in Spanish) in Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico reveal dark secrets of the excomulgated and former Roman Catholic group, including torture and sexual abuse by its leader Juan Ángel Collado Pinto. (El Nuevo Día)
• May 31: The Puerto Rico Department of Health states that a reduction of 16,000 (25.6%) smoking adults in Puerto Rico since 2005 could translate into $56 million in future health care savings for the island. (El Nuevo Día)

June

• June 5: Medalla beer wins the top prizes and awards in Australia, Barcelona and New Zealand competitions, beating out various other competitors. (El Nuevo Día)
• June 8: Puerto Rican Víctor Caraballo is sentenced to death by a Miami judge for the kidnapping, rape, and murder of 18-year-old Ana María Ángel in 2002. (El Nuevo Día)
• June 9: Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto defeats Zab Judah by T.K.O. at Madison Square Garden, maintaining his title as WBA Welterweight Champion. (El Nuevo Día)
• June 10: More than 2.5 million Puerto Ricans gather at New York City for the 50th annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. (El Nuevo Día)
• June 14: United Nations special committee on decolonization calls on US to expedite Puerto Rico's self determination, text also requests General Assembly to consider question. PR press calls the resolution a 'historic one'.(UN resolution)(El Nuevo Dia)
• June 15: Jonathan Vega Rivera is arrested for the murder of neurophysiologist Elías Algarín Algarín on June 9. Bail is set at $750,000. (El Nuevo Día)
• June 24: Boxing promoter Don King meets with Puerto Rican boxer Felix "Tito" Trinidad to discuss his possible return to boxing in 2008. (El Nuevo Dia)
• June 25: Puerto Rican boxing legend Felix "Tito" Trinidad begins to train for his return to boxing in early 2008. (El Nuevo Día)
• June 26: 23-year-old Alex Trujillo, a criminal charged with multiple crimes, including murder, is sentenced to only 20 years in prison after several irregularities caused the other charges to be dismissed. (El Nuevo Día)

July

• July 11: A federal investigation discovers more than 120 doctors who allegedly received special treatment by the PR Medical Examination Board to grant them licenses without meeting necessary criteria. (El Nuevo Día)
• July 16: The Puerto Rican team wins the gold medal in gymnastics and the bronze medal in Taekwondo at the 2007 Pan American Games. (El Nuevo Día)
• July 25: The 55th anniversary of the establishment of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is celebrated in Comerío, a rural municipality in Puerto Rico. (El Nuevo Día)

August

• August 2: 88 doctors who fraudulently obtained their licenses are arrested by the U.S. Justice Department. (El Nuevo Día)
• August 4: Santos Padilla Ferrer, mayor of Cabo Rojo, dies from heart failure. He was 50 years old. (El Nuevo Día)
• August 4: Amateur video captures the apparent "execution" of an unarmed man in the hands of a Puerto Rico police officer in Humacao. (El Nuevo Día)
• August 26: Iván Calderón defeated Hugo Cazares to become the eleventh Puerto Rican boxer to win world championships in two divisions. (El Nuevo Día)
• August 30: A large oil spill is spotted off the coast of Guanica, stretching to Cabo Rojo. Emergency work crews from across the island are called to help the clean-up. (El Nuevo Día)

September

• September 12: David Bernier, the P.R. Secretary of Sports, proposes to Major League Baseball to withdraw Puerto Rico from the MLB draft, excluding the island from many requirements in order to compete with other Latin American countries. (MLB.com)
• September 19: Orlando José Pérez Jiménez, a Venezuelan Consul, alleges that, after its 4 month shutdown, Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) is trying to reestablish its operations and transmissions from Puerto Rico. (El Universal)
• September 21: Ramón Calderón, president of Holsum Puerto Rico, bids $139 million and subsequently acquires Pueblo Supermarkets of Puerto Rico and its assets in an effort save it from bankruptcy. (El Nuevo Día)
• September 21: 52 Puerto Rican pilots arrive at San Juan after one year of military service in Kuwait. (El Nuevo Día)
• September 21: Accord Ship Management, an Indian cargo ship operator, is found guilty of illegally dumping oil waste in Puerto Rico waters, and is fined $1.75 million and banned from U.S. waters and ports for three years. (Forbes.com)
• September 21: The Arecibo Observatory, the largest radio telescope in the world, is threatened by lack of funds assigned by the National Science Foundation. (Washington Post)
• September 27: 6 years after leaving the island of Vieques, the US Navy and various federal and local government offices reach an accord to clean up parts of the island which were contaminated by decades of military exercises. (EPA)
• September 27: Bio Celsius is ordered to pay $2.4 million for the cleaning and proper disposal of more than 4 million pounds of biomedical waste from hospitals and clinics, which had been illegally stored in their facilities for months. (Forbes.com)

October

• October 3: The Puerto Rico Ports Authority decides not to move loose cargo dock operations from the current San Juan Port to the new Port of the Americas for at least another 8 years. The transfer proposal had been met with criticisms from the city of San Juan, shipping companies, and dock workers. (Chron.com)
• October 8: An accidental ammonia leak from the Cerveceria India plant in Mayaguez sends people to the hospital and causes several traffic accidents. (Forbes.com)
• October 10: A controversial law is passed requiring a stricter dress code for motorcyclists to improve protection as well as reducing the allowed blood-alcohol level for riding. With this law, Puerto Rico now has the strictest requirements for motorcycle driving in the United States. (Associated Press)
• October 21: Over 3,000 Puerto Rican police officers have left the 18,000 strong force since January 2007 for U.S. mainland policing jobs as a result of numerous scandals plaguing the Department. (BaltimoreSun.com)
• October 12: Communities and activists protest the apparent mass killing of pet animals by a government contractor by throwing them of a 50 ft high bridge in Barceloneta. They were confiscated from residents in 3 public housing projects, against HUD and government instructions. (CNN.com)
• October 22: NASA selects Joseph Acaba as an austronaut for space shuttle mission STS-119, scheduled for November 2008. Acaba will become the first Puerto Rican ever to visit space. (AllHeadlineNews.com)
• October 27: During excavation of a dam to control flooding in Ponce, a pre-Columbian indigenous site is found, with villages, burial grounds, and other important artifacts. The site is preliminary considered on of the most important finds in recent decades. (International Herald Tribune.com)
• October 30: Over 30 medical doctors are arrested for illegally obtaining their medical license through bribes to the local Medical Examiners Board. After previous arrests in August, a total of 118 doctors have been arrested and indicted. (International Herald Tribune.com)
• November 3: The Government of Puerto Rico plans to issue over $9.18 billion in bonds to fund its employee pension fund. It would be the largest debt issuance in Puerto Rico's history. (Caribbean Net News.com)
• November 11: Miguel Cotto retains his WBA welterweight title after defeating Shane Mosley by unanimous decision. His record stands at 31-0-0. (International Herald Tribune.com)

November

• November 19: Puerto Rico upsets the United States at the men's Volleyball World Cup, winning in four sets. It is the first time in 30 years that Puerto Rico has defeated the U.S. (USA Today.com)
• November 26: Ingrid Marie Rivera is crowned Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2008, amid a controversy surrounding alleged sabotage by her competitors. After experiencing hives, those close to Rivera alleged that her make-up and dresses used during the show were sprayed with pepper spray. (WashingtonPost.com)
• November 29: A 7.4 magnitude earthquake hits Martinique, and is felt in various locations in Puerto Rico. Many public and private buildings were evacuated as a precaution, with no damages reported. (El Nuevo Dia.com)
• November 29: A 7.4 magnitude earthquake hits Martinique, and is felt in various locations in Puerto Rico. Many public and private buildings were evacuated as a precaution, with no damages reported. (El Nuevo Dia.com)

December

• December 11: Subtropical storm Olga brings heavy rains and mild winds to Puerto Rico, causing flash flooding across the main island and landslides in certain rural roads. (Canada.com)
• December 24: 26 people are indicted for federal charges relating to copyright infringement in illegal DVD sales and distribution. (Businessofcinema.com)

2008

January

• January 5: Over 100 cockfights in Puerto Rico are canceled due to the prohibition of various birds from the Dominican Republic, after discovery of various animals with the avian flu. The loss from such canceled activities is estimated in the millions. (Associated Press)
• January 8: The Puerto Rico Teachers Federation, the only union representing more than 35,000 teachers in the public education system, is decertified by the state government for threats made to violate Puerto Rico's Syndicalism of Public Employees Law. (El Nuevo Dia.com)
• January 17: Walgreens acquires 20 stores from rival pharmacy El Amal, increasing their presence in Puerto Rico's pharmacy market. (CNN Money)

February

• February 1: Puerto Rico undergoes various studies on albinism within its population by National Institutes of Health, since the island has the highest incidence rate in the world.(Associated Press.com)
• February 21: After failed labor negotiations, the Teacher's Federation of Puerto Rico officially declares a strike, in violation of Puerto Rico's Syndicalism of Public Employees Law.(International Herald Tribune)

March

• March 9: Luis Fortuño obtains 59% of the primary votes and wins the New Progressive Party gubernatorial candidacy over opponent and former Gov. Pedro Rossello. (Associated Press)
• March 27: The U.S. Justice Department issues an indictment to the Governor of Puerto Rico Aníbal Acevedo Vilá and 12 other members of the Popular Democratic Party for campaign finance violations, after a long investigation. (New York Times)
• March 23: Greg Kraft shot a two-under-par 70 to win the inaugural Puerto Rico Open, beating Jerry Kelly and Bo Van Pelt by one shot. (Associated Press.com)
• March 10: Former Gov. Pedro Rossello announces his retirement from politics after losing the New Progressive Party primary election to Luis Fortuño. (Associated Press)

April

• April 16: The U.S. Treasury on Wednesday said it approved a $1.282 billion economic stimulus payment to Puerto Rico to be distributed to local residents as "recovery rebates" intended to revive the island's economy. (Reuters)
• April 7: United States ex-president Bill Clinton took his wife's presidential campaign to Puerto Rico on Sunday night, telling islanders that Sen. Hillary Clinton is the best candidate to fix a struggling economy. (USA Today)

July

• July 11: Daniel Santos defeats Joachim Alcine by knockout to win the third world championship of his career.

(Vocero)

• July 4: Puerto Rico's national basketball team begins its preparation for the 2008 Pre-Olympic tournament. (Primera Hora)
• July 1: A study conducted at the University of Michigan concludes that Puerto Rico is the second "happiest place in the world", behind only Denmark. (Primera Hora)

September

• September 10: David Bernier formally announces his candidacy for president of the Olympic Committee of Puerto Rico. (Primera Hora)
• September 19: The Puerto Rico Islanders win the first United Soccer Leagues' Commissioner's Cup since their creation, clinching the first place in the league's regular season. (Primera Hora)
• September 12: Johnny Rullán is named Puerto Rico's Scretary of Health following Rosa Pérez Perdomo's retirement. (El Nuevo Día)
• September 12: The Association of Agriculture establishes several help centers to gather food and medicine for residents of Cuba and Haiti living in areas affected by hurricanes Gustav and Ike. (Primera Hora)
• September 11: Felix Rivera renounces his position as president of the National Superior Basketball league citing "philosophical differences". (El Nuevo Día)

October

• October 4: Juan Manuel López defeats César Figueroa by knockout in his first defense of the World Boxing Organization's super bantamweight title. (El Nuevo Día)
• October 2: PNP senator Jorge de Castro Font is arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on corruption charges. (CBS News)
• October 1: David Bernier wins the presidency of the Olympic Committee of Puerto Rico. (Primera Hora)

2009

January

• January 15: Governor Luis Fortuño enacted several measures aimed at eliminating the government's $3.3 billion deficit. (The Bond Buyer)
• January 19: Jose “Cheguí” Torres, former light heavyweight champion of the world, writer and community activist, dies of a heart attack at his home in Ponce. (The Washington Post)
• January 31: The organizers of the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games have 60 days to find the money needed to carry out the event next year, announced the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (ODECABE).(El Nuevo Día)

March

• March 14: Puerto Rico becomes the first team to defeat the United States by mercy rule in the history of the World Baseball Classic. (ESPN)
• March 14: Román Martínez wins the World Boxing Organization's super featherweight world championship. (El Vocero)
• March 15: Joseph M. Acaba becomes the first person of Puerto Rican descent to serve as an active astronaut aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. (Primera Hora)

March

• May 26: US President Barack Obama has chosen Sonia Sotomayor, a United States Court of Appeals judge, as his first nominee to the United States Supreme Court. (Wikinews)

September

• September 25: The Government of Puerto Rico announces a layoff of more than 16,000 public workers in order to close its $2 billion budget deficit gap, an action which may immediately increase the island's unemployment rate by 1.3%. (El Nuevo Dia)
• August 9: Puerto Rican-American Sonia Sotomayor is sworn-in as the 111th justice, 3rd woman, and first Hispanic to the U.S. Supreme Court. (CNN)

2010

May

• May 16, 2010: The 2010 Puerto Rico earthquake shakes the entire island, its epicenter was in Moca.
• May 22, 2010: The 2010 University of Puerto Rico Strike continues on. All campuses of the University of Puerto Rico remain closed.

June

• June 4, 2010: William Miranda Marín mayor of Caguas died after fighting cancer for nine months.

July

• July 15, 2010: the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games are being held in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, from July 17, 2010 to August 1, 2010.
• July 27, 2010: Carlos Alberto Torres, former FALN member, was released from federal custody after being parolled and serving 30 years for seditious conspiracy.

August

• August 01, 2010: Lolita Lebrón, a Puerto Rican Nationalist jailed in an assault on the US Congress, dies at age 90.
• August 16, 2010: In a tune-up for the 2010 World Basketball Championships, Puerto Rico defeats China in an exhibition match held at Madison Square Garden, 92-76.

• August 28, 2010: In a rare 108-pound unification match, Puerto Rican Boxing Champion Ivan Calderon lost in his title defense to Mexican Boxing champion Giovanni Segura by KO in the eighth round.

September

• September 10, 2010: Juan Mari Brás, Founder of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party and the first Puerto Rican to formally renounce U.S. citizenship, died of complications from lung cancer.

October

• October 6, 2010: The FBI arrests over Eighty-nine Puerto Rico Police Department officers and 44 others in predawn raids as part of Operation Guard Shack, the largest law enforcement corruption investigation in the FBI's history.

• October 27, 2010: The U.S. Department of Justice made an announced on October 2010 that GlaxoSmithKline will pay $150 million in criminal fines and $600 million in civil penalties. GlaxoSmithKline agreed to pay the $750 million settlement in response to criminal and civil complaints against the company stemming from production of improperly made and adulterated drugs at their subsidiary SB Pharmco Puerto Rico Inc in Cidra, Puerto Rico.

November

• November 24, 2010: The federal appeals court in Boston denies a lawsuit seeking to establish equal voting rights for U.S. citizens residing in Puerto Rico. A panel of judges ruled 2-1 that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights treaty could not trump constitutional law.

December

• December 20, 2010: Rick Pitino, the only men's college basketball coach to lead three teams to the Final Four, has agreed to coach the Puerto Rico national team next summer in the FIBA Tournament of the Americas toward qualifying for the 2012 Olympics.

2011

March

• March 7, 2011: Hector Martinez, a Puerto Rican Senator for the district of Carolina, PR, is found guilty of bribery and other corruption-related charges. Resigning shortly afterwards, he is the 4th legislator to resign or be expelled under accusations or controversy in the current legislative assembly.

May

• May 10, 2011: After 25 years of fugitive status, the FBI announce the arrest of Norberto González Claudio, accused of participating in the 1983 Wells Fargo depot robbery perpetrated by Los Macheteros guerilla group, leaving Víctor Manuel Gerena as the only alleged perpetrator still unaccounted for.