Puerto Rico avoids second default, but future payments uncertain
Reuters
By Megan Davies and Nick Brown
11 minutes ago
NEW YORK/SAN JUAN (Reuters) - Puerto Rico made a crucial debt payment on Tuesday but warned that its deteriorating finances could trigger future defaults, as the governor granted the U.S. territory power to take revenues from public agencies.
There had been speculation Puerto Rico would default on all or part of the $355 million notes issued by its financing arm, the Government Development Bank. The U.S. territory said in a statement that it made the Dec. 1 bond payment despite "extreme fiscal challenges."
While Puerto Rico first defaulted in August, failure to make the payment on Tuesday would have been more significant because part of that debt was protected by the commonwealth's constitution.
Another default could have triggered lawsuits, further spooked investors and undermined the island's efforts to climb out of $72 billion in debt and forced it to take drastic measures to keep public services running.
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