Borinquen MadeDated notes on Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico news: economy and politics
This desk gathers dated notes on the economy and politics of Puerto Rico, taken from named outlets. It is not the magazine's historical archive. Each note cites its outlet. It is not original reporting.
A dated, sourced desk. Each note names its outlet. It is not original reporting. Figures are those the source published. If sources disagree, both layers are left in place.
Archivo Trump: 100% federal cost share para Guardia Nacional COVID en Puerto Rico
Memo 2020-03-28 (slot 2020-03-27): PR+Guam+5 states; Stafford 403/503; 32 U.S.C. 502(f). Memo ≠ desembolsado.
H.R.748 CARES Act se convierte en Public Law 116-136 el 27 de marzo de 2020
Peg 27 mar 2020 = Became Public Law 116-136. Primaria Congress.gov H.R.748: Passed House 419–6 (17 jul 2019); Passed Senate 96–0 (25 mar 2020); Presented y enacted 27 mar. Sec. 5001 CRF nombra territories. Became law ≠ desembolso; no inventa total del paquete ni earmarks solo-PR.
Inspectores federales: Vivienda no controló bien la nómina de personal propio en fondos de emergencias
Peg 26 mar 2020. Informe OIG-20-22: $665.7 million obligados a PRDOH (5 PWs, corte dic 2018); sample 15/19 empleados con errores de timesheet — net ~$196 ≠ hurto.
OIG: FEMA no maximizó contratos anticipados en Puerto Rico tras María
Peg 23 mar 2020. OIG-20-20: 49 de 241 contratos post-desastre cubrían bienes ya en advance contracts; FEMA reportó >$1 billion gastado en respuesta, >$550 million en advance contracts. Oversight gap ≠ theft. Cousin 989.
HUD OIG: Housing must strengthen its CDBG-DR capacity
Audit 2020-AT-1002 flags financial and procurement controls amid more than $19 billion in disaster funds.
Congreso: la primera ley de emergencia por coronavirus asigna 8.3 billion e incluye territories en fondos de salud pública
2020-03-06. Pub. L. 116-123; CRS $8.3 billion; CDC $2.2 billion con ≥$950 million a States/localities/territories; SBA disaster $20 million. Cousin 1305.
Registro federal de febrero 2020: Vivienda tiene $8.22 billion obligados y unos $4.06 billion desembolsados
Peg 26 feb 2020 (date_signed). Award B-18-DP-72-0001 a PRDOH: obligation $8,220,783,000; outlay $4,062,699,780.67; 180 subawards ($1.66 billion). Obligated ≠ outlayed ≠ subawards ≠ hurto. CFDA 14.228 label Hawaii = boilerplate.
GAO pide mejorar cómo FEMA calcula el costo de obras en Puerto Rico
Informe GAO-20-221 (5 feb 2020): al 30 sep 2019, FEMA obligó ~$6 billion PA (1,558 proyectos); solo 19 fixed cost estimates de 9,344 sites; recomienda guidance + repository.
Carson anuncia acuerdo de otorgamiento HUD con Puerto Rico que libera $8.2 billion adicionales para la recuperación
27 ene 2020 (lote peg). Retarget: assigned 2020-01303 was ICE IMAGE paperwork — NOT CDBG-MIT; Board blocked 2020-01204 (money-aid); 2020-01334 already noticias 883. Primary FREE: HUD Archives pr20-007. Release dated Thursday January 16, 2020 (HUD No. 20-007). Grant agreement making additional $8.2 billion available; mitigation FR notice forthcoming. Available/announced ≠ obligated ≠ disbursed ≠ theft.
Casa Blanca declara desastre mayor por los terremotos: abre ayuda federal en el sur
Peg 16 ene 2020. Major disaster por sismos desde 28 dic 2019; IA y emergency work en municipios del sur. Declaración≠desembolso≠hurto.
USASpending: Salud de Puerto Rico marca $1.82 billion obligados en Medicaid del año fiscal 2018
Peg 2017-10-01. Award ASST_NON_1805RQBMAP_075: $1.82 billion obligados en Medicaid FY 2018 — obligated ≠ disbursed ≠ hurto.
USASpending: Salud de Puerto Rico marca $2.42 billion obligados en Medicaid del año fiscal 2019
Peg 2018-10-01. Award ASST_NON_1905RQBMAP_075: $2.42 billion obligados en Medicaid FY 2019 — obligated ≠ disbursed ≠ hurto.
CMS: abre flexibilities de Medicare y Medicaid en Puerto Rico tras los terremotos
Peg 9 ene 2020. HHS PHE desde 28 dic 2019; CMS waivers, enrollment especial y apoyo a diálisis — emergencia sanitaria ≠ hurto de fondos de vivienda.
CPI: Section 428 becomes the biggest brake on permanent work
From Rosselló’s “achievement” to “imposition”: only 3% of estimates agreed; $487 million obligated and $39 million disbursed.
Impossible to track recovery contracts
CPI: top-20 recovery contracts — ICF ~$363 million (COR3 to $338 million + $25 million Housing); Tu Hogar Renace $250 million ×3; no centralized registry.
Only a pinch of the federal funds reaches Puerto Rico
ENDI: federal disbursed little more than $15 billion post-Irma/María; no $92 billion appropriation as Trump alleged; private sector without money for permanent work.
CPI: the plunder of public funds behind the chat
Influence network around Sánchez, Miranda and Bermúdez; commissions up to 25% and retainers of $50,000; links to Education, ASES and BDO.
Federal prosecutors charge Keleher, Ávila and four others over contract fraud
32-count indictment (July 9); DOE–BDO more than $13 million; ASES–BDO $2.5 million. Charge/arrest ≠ conviction.
FOMB certifies FY20 consolidated budget of $20.2 billion
General Fund $9.1 billion (appropriation $9.051 billion); special revenues $3.6 billion; federal $7.6 billion; fiscal plan of May 9, 2019.
Legislature shelves the Oversight Board’s budget
Johnny Méndez will not file the $9.1 billion document; Fortaleza insists on Rosselló’s, $570 million higher.