Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. The federal government funds programs such as Medicaid for Puerto Rico but the commonwealth has no direct representation in Congress. Puerto Rico has endured many of the problems common to developing nations but quality of life has improved. The United States has assisted Puerto Rico through such programs as Operation Bootstrap, which gave federal income tax exemptions to corporations locating subsidiaries in Puerto Rico. In 2006, Puerto Rico experienced a depression due to the expiration of U.S. corporate tax exemptions. In dire financial need, the island responded by implementing a 5.5 percent sales tax to cover the cost of government infrastructure, including hospitals and health clinics. Due to negative cash flows, Puerto Rican public debt anchored ...