Marketplace®

Daily business news and economic stories

It looks like Puerto Rico can restructure its debt

The territory is on the path toward figuring out what to do with its more than $70 billion debt.

Puerto Rico is taking the first step toward ending its decadelong recession.
Puerto Rico is taking the first step toward ending its decadelong recession.
Filipa Rodrigues/Marketplace

Puerto Rico is one step closer to figuring out what to do about its outstanding debt and addressing its decadelong recession. The U.S. territory still won’t have Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, but this oversight bill allows the island a legal out to restructure its debt.

Bondholders are sure to be upset because they’ll likely take a haircut. Puerto Rican officials don’t like the idea of a board that would oversee the island’s finances and argue the bill doesn’t address the basic economic problems plaguing the island. The tax base is leaving, and there’s little incentive to start small businesses there. 

Some Democrats have argued that pensions for retired government employees need to take precedent over bond repayment. Along with the more than $70 billion in bond debt, the island is sitting on more than $40 billion in unfunded pension liabilities. 

Related Topics

Latest Episodes

View All Shows
  • Marketplace
    7 hours ago
    25:19
  • Make Me Smart
    13 hours ago
    19:00
  • Marketplace Morning Report
    15 hours ago
    6:55
  • Marketplace Tech
    20 hours ago
    8:33
  • This Is Uncomfortable
    3 days ago
    56:05
  • Million Bazillion
    24 days ago
    32:45