Hernández demands accountability from the Fiscal Board for their cost, their duration, and their lack of results

Washington, D.C. — With a firm tone and clear gaze, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, Pablo José Hernández Rivera confronted the Fiscal Oversight and Management Board of Puerto Rico (FOMB) today during a congressional hearing that, in his words, “felt like a celebration of PROMESA.”

But for Hernández, there is nothing to celebrate: “PROMESA has been a tragedy for Puerto Rico, for the United States, and for the values this nation claims to uphold. For nearly a quarter of my life, my democratic rights and the autonomy of Puerto Rico have been shackled by an imposed, unelected entity that overrides our elected leaders,” emphasized Hernández Rivera.

The Resident Commissioner was direct, demanding transparency, accountability, and above all, answers. “How is it possible that a Board that promised to cost less than $400 million has ended up spending over $2 billion? How can it preach austerity while spending freely on consultants who are unaccountable and, in many cases, have no incentive to end their contracts?”

And in nine years, he noted, not a single balanced budget: “That’s not success. That’s failure. And the people are paying for that failure with blackouts, inflation, and despair.”

In one of the most tense moments of the hearing, Hernández questioned FOMB Executive Director Robert Mujica about the government's $20 billion contract with New Fortress Energy—a contract that, according to Mujica, was negotiated with incompetence, with monopolistic terms, and with no support from the Board itself.

“The Board blamed the administration of Jenniffer González. But the underlying question remains, who is looking out for the public interest? The people deserve a fair, transparent process that delivers results. Not another shady deal disguised as a solution,” said Hernández.

With the same tone, he also reiterated his support for a new tax incentive to promote local manufacturing, similar to the former Section 936, and urged Congress to move forward on achieving parity in federal programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP.

“Puerto Rico’s economic development cannot remain hostage to status politics. This is an opportunity to find common ground, to legislate with reason, and to restore the dignity the Puerto Rican people deserve,” the Resident Commissioner added.

Closing his remarks, Hernández made clear he would not allow fatigue or cynicism to dominate the debate: “Puerto Rico deserves leadership. It deserves a roadmap to the future. It deserves to know when the Board will leave. Because nine years is enough.”

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