New York Governor to Meet Puerto Rican Officials Amid Debt Crisis

A delegation from New York will travel to debt-strapped Puerto Rico on September 7-8 to meet with local officials and discuss the US territory’s economic challenges, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a press release.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – In August, Puerto Rico defaulted on its $73 billion in debt.

“This trip is about stepping up for Puerto Rico and its people, and I look forward to working together with our partners to help address this crisis,” Cuomo said on Monday.

The Obama administration has said it does not envision a bailout for the US territory, but said available US federal assistance could be leveraged to assist Puerto Rico’s leaders.

Cuomo said the New York delegation will work with Puerto Rican counterparts to address the crisis.

“The current situation in Puerto Rico has become unsustainable and is threatening the livelihoods of millions of people – many with strong connections to New York,” he added.

New York has the largest population of Puerto Ricans living outside the territory. Overall, about 5 million Puerto Ricans live on the US mainland.