El Capitolio – El representante José Bernardo Márquez consumió un turno inicial durante la sesión legislativa de la Cámara de Representantes, dirigido a la Junta de Control Fiscal y al presidente de los Estados Unidos, Joe Biden en donde defendió la validez de la Ley para un Retiro Digno y reclamó el cumplimiento del programa de gobierno Biden-Harris, el cual propuso revertir las políticas de austeridad de la Junta y proteger servicios esenciales y a los pensionados en Puerto Rico. En su turno en inglés, el legislador del Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana adelantó que votará en contra de cualquier esfuerzo por derogar la ley que beneficia a los pensionados y pensionadas en la Isla y exigió que la Junta deje de insistir en la implementación de medidas de austeridad en la educación, la salud y el bienestar social que sabotean cualquier posibilidad de fomentar el crecimiento económico necesario para el cumplimiento de las obligaciones financieras de Puerto Rico.
A continuación el turno del representante Márquez durante la sesión legislativa:
“Good morning to Chairman Skeel, Members of the Board, and Ms. Jaresko.
In Wednesday’s letter to the Governor, Senate President and Speaker, you asked for confirmation by noon today that the Legislature will undertake the repeal of the Dignified Retirement Act. I rise today to tell you that I will not vote for any repeal of this law, and I trust that none of my colleagues will either. There are more than enough reasons to support this Act and the principles for which it stands.
First is precedent. There is precedent for pensions not to be impaired in municipal bankruptcy, as it happened in Stockton and San Bernardino, especially if doing so will adversely affect the economy, launch retirees into poverty, and sink morale among public servants.
Second is prior impairment. Act 3 of 2013 already slashed pensions for retirees and active employees, with haircuts from 15% to 42% of their benefits. That is to say, pensions had already been restructured prior to the Title III.
Third is your insistence on paying illegal debt that should be null and void. After the Kobre & Kim report you commissioned identified $6 billion in illegally issued debt, you made the show of suing to invalidate those claims. But now you’re ignoring that and treating those holders of illegal debt handsomely in the proposed Plan of Adjustment. It is unconscionable that a Board established to achieve fiscal responsibility is seeking to prioritize illegal debt held by sophisticated investors over legally valid obligations to destitute retirees.
A fairer and more equitable Plan of Adjustment for the Commonwealth is possible. It’s time to recognize that you negotiated a bad deal for Puerto Rico. And if you want any deal to go forward with enabling legislation, you have to go through us. So I suggest you stop fighting and start listening.
Stop insisting on austerity measures to education, health, and social welfare that sabotage the economic growth that is necessary to pay the debt you are restructuring. Stop arguing against Medicaid parity that would enable more and better health services in the islands. And stop favoring creditors over the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and its people.
But since you are unlikely to desist from your ideologically driven, pro-austerity crusade against Puerto Rico, I want to turn my attention now to President Biden:
Mr. President, many of us here in the islands were encouraged by the Biden-Harris Plan for Puerto Rico, which called for a reversal of the fiscal austerity policies imposed by the Board, a comprehensive audit of Puerto Rico’s public debt, and a guarantee that low- and moderate-income folks and pensioners would be protected in any debt restructurings.
Well Mr. President, your administration may just be getting started, but our time is quickly running out.
The Board’s current fiscal austerity policies are endangering the accreditations of our public university, and on the restructuring front it is quickly pushing through a plan of adjustment that will slash pensions to legitimize and pay for illegally issued debt.
Puerto Rico cannot wait. It needs you to confront the Board through all available executive and Congressional avenues immediately. And given that the imposition of the Financial Oversight and Management Board was and is in itself a profoundly undemocratic exercise in 21st century colonialism that should have no place in modern America, it really is the least you could do.
We trust you will do the right thing for Puerto Rico.”
