House Speaker Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez, center, met with Mayors Federation President Gabriel Hernández Rodríguez and the mayors of Aguas Buenas and Las Piedras regarding the island government’s budget for the coming fiscal year and the mayors’ needs and projections. By THE STAR STAFF Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez held a meeting earlier this week with Mayors Federation President Gabriel Hernández Rodríguez, as well as the

Ronald Hernández Maldonado, statistical project manager at the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (LinkedIn) By THE STAR STAFF Puerto Rico paid $919.7 million in tariffs during 2025, the highest amount recorded between 2010 and 2025, according to new data released Tuesday by the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (PRSI). The figure represents a dramatic increase of $683.1 million compared with 2024, when tariff payments totaled $236.6 million. The year‑over‑year jump amounts t

U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) (Wikipedia) By THE STAR STAFF The state of New York is evaluating legislation to close a legal loophole that has long enabled hedge funds to profit from financially distressed governments, including Puerto Rico’s. The bill -- sponsored by Assembly member Jessica González‑Rojas and State Senator Liz Krueger -- would restore the state’s champerty doctrine, making it illegal to purchase debt solely to sue for repayment. U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázque

Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz In salty social media post, Senate president cites 2025 executive order giving La Fortaleza chief of staff broad powers By THE STAR STAFF Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz said Tuesday there is no rush to address an interim appointment of a new secretary at the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its acronym in Spanish) following the recent resignation of Sebastián Negrón Reichard. “After Sebastián Negrón Reichard