Merchant and former president of the Centro Unido de Detallistas, Lourdes Aponte, said Puerto Rico has gone "from crisis to chaos" amid numerous business closures driven by high operating costs and deficiencies in the island’s energy service. Speaking on El Calentón, Aponte said that in her restaurant refilling liquefied gas cylinders costs her about $500 a week because of increases in both electricity and propane gas.
She said energy is what is drowning businesses operationally: she must pay her plates, maintain a generator for use during outages, and cover appliances damaged by power fluctuations. Two of her fryers and two large toasters have been damaged, and she said insurance does not cover such losses, despite insurance being the usual quick answer.
Aponte warned that closures from high operating costs affect not only business owners but also employees and Puerto Rico’s economic development. "When you close the door of a business, you are closing the door to the progress of a country," she said.