The National Catholic Reporter quoted Eric LeCompte on the significance of Puerto Rico's new debt deal. Read more here.

Religious Leaders Critical to Success of Puerto Rico Debt Restructuring

By Michael Sean Winters

Last week (Jan. 18), Judge Laura Taylor Swain approved a debt restructuring plan for Puerto Rico that was the culmination of five years of negotiations and legal challenges. The deal, which was overseen by a federal oversight board first appointed in 2016, dwarfs earlier bankruptcy cases and navigates the especially fraught legal and political terrain caused by Puerto Rico's status as a U.S. territory.

Eric LeCompte, executive director at Jubilee USA, which advocates for debt relief for developing countries, concurs with Skeel's assessment as to the significance of the deal. "While some smaller portions of Puerto Rico's debt still need to be restructured, roughly out of the $72 billion in debt about 55% of the debt was cut," LeCompte said. "In comparison, the previous largest municipal bankruptcy was Detroit and the city saw its debt cut by 38%. We also saw innovations that protect Puerto Rico, its pensioners and people living in poverty."

LeCompte also agreed with Skeel about the pivotal role played by religious leaders, both on the island and in the states. "At Jubilee USA we were privileged to walk with Archbishop Gonzalez and Reverend Martinez on this journey, and we saw a historic mobilization of U.S. and Puerto Rico religious groups aid the people of Puerto Rico," LeCompte said.