Puerto Rico Morning Brief Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Puerto Rico’s Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) reported Monday, November 2, that it has completed 28,699 water leak repairs since May 28. That is 94% of the reports it received over that period. Executive president Luis González Delgado said AAA brigades and private contractor crews handled an average of 1,367 leaks per week.

The senators said that cost would reach consumers through the Fuel Purchase Clause of their power bills. Alternate spokesperson Marially González Huertas said a preliminary estimate based on the contract shows a single substitute supplier ship could leave NFE between $1.8 million and $2 million in tolls. At maximum contracted volume, that would reach up to $37.5 million a year. Senator Josian Santiago Rivera noted the toll rises with inflation, with a guaranteed minimum 2% annual increase.

Puerto Rico’s Office of the Comptroller reported on Monday, November 2, that it identified improper payments of more than $13 million to accounts of deceased retirees in four government retirement systems. The investigation also found deposits and checks issued years after the deaths. The findings include 56,712 payments made more than 60 days after pensioners’ deaths between 2020 and 2025.

Taco Bell announced it is closing all of its restaurants in Puerto Rico after ending its commercial relationship with Encanto Restaurants, the company that operated the franchise on the island. In a statement on its official page, the chain said Encanto Restaurants could no longer operate under the quality standards the brand requires. Taco Bell said it is working to identify a new franchisee that would allow its locations to reopen.

The Puerto Rico Department of Labor and Human Resources has made orientation and assistance services available to workers laid off after the announced closure of KFC and Taco Bell restaurants. The services are meant to help them return to the job market. Laid-off workers can apply for unemployment benefits through the Desempleo Digital platform at desempleo.trabajo.pr.gov. They need to create or enter an account, submit an initial claim, have their personal and employment information on hand (including dates of work and layoff), and check the claim’s status periodically. The Unemployment Insurance call center is 787-754-7300.