1.  In 1493 Spain takes possession of the islands that conforms Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra on the East side of the island; we become a Colony of Spain.
2. As a colony of Spain our political structure depends on Spain Courts; in the 19th Century they decided that we may have a representation at the Courts, only one man, without too much power or authority.
3. Finalizing the 19th Century Spain authorized some kind of autonomy to the Islands of Puerto Rico, in 1898 the Hispano-American War was in place and we become a possession of the United States of America; as a colony of the USA we were, in the first years, by a Military Board, that takes all the decisions.
4. The War takes out any possibility of power and authority to the Puerto Ricans, leaders and community are conscious that something new needs to be done; political movements started, some want to become annexed to the USA and others want to become an independent nation.
5. In 1900 the Congress approved the Foraker Act, with a Federal Control Board in charge of the government, more power than the local Legislature, one that can do a minimum on behalf of the people.
6. In 1917 the Congress approved the Jones Act, giving the American Citizenship to all the Puerto Ricans, we have our own citizenship, Puerto Rico; including the recruitment of Puerto Ricans for the USA Army, so we have been participating in the wars of the USA, almost 100 years.
7. In 1920, using the Jones Act the Congress stipulated that all the commerce in Puerto Rico must be done using the American ships, multiplying the costs of the products; we receive 85% of the products we need: food, instruments, tools, from the USA ports to San Juan Piers; that situation has no change, we are urging that we may be excluded of the dispositions of Jones Act; something that the Congress and the president can do in one day.
8. In 1950 the Congress approved the 600 Law so that Puerto Ricans may have their own Constitution and Regulations,  a process that takes to the local authorities, two years; in 1952 the Congress approved the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, they changed some of the sections of the law, including the Rights Section, striking out some fundamental rights that were written in the Constitution.
9. Now in 2016 Congress  may approve a new Law, called PROMESA (in Spanish means promise), a Control Board will take over the government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (PR); that means that they have the power to control the Budget of PR, the goal of the Control Board is to repay the debt to the creditors, services to the citizens take a second level, that means that health, security, education, will not be attended or serviced; that may mean that thousands of Puerto Ricans will be unemployed; the retirees of the government may see reduced the pensions and services; many other reductions may be in place.

            Our reality today is that the Control Board, if approved by the Congress and signed by the president of the USA is not positive for Puerto Rico. It is positive for the creditors. My contention, as bishop and a Puerto Rican, means that the Control Board is no good for us. We need the action of the federal government to help us in this situation.