Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
2005
Guerilla pro-independence leader Filiberto Ojeda Rios is killed in a shootout with US
federal agents. The incident causes widespread anger and demonstrations on the is-
land.
2006
An acute budgetary crisis forces the shutdown of schools and government offices
across the island for two weeks as legislative officials try to address a $740-million
deficit in public funds.
2009
Sonia Sotomayor becomes the 111th Justice of the US Supreme Court. Of Puerto
Rican descent, Sotomayor is the first Hispanic justice in the history of the court.
2010
With numerous raids on drug kingpins and smugglers, the US government steps up
its Caribbean drug enforcement. A bust on Puerto Rican police becomes the largest
arrest of corrupt police officers in US history.
2011
After a long period of economic decline set off by the Global Financial Crisis, Puerto
Rico posts its highest rate of unemployment on record, 16.9%.
