March 15, 2020

Puerto Rico Is Shuttering Non-Essential Businesses and Imposing a Nighttime Curfew

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Puerto Rico will shutter non-essential businesses and impose a nighttime curfew across the US territory of 3.2 million people until the end of March, in response to the spread of the coronavirus. The announcement was made in a televised Sunday address by Gov. Wanda Vázquez.

According to Miami Herald:

Under the new decree, the island will be under a curfew from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. that runs through March 30. The only exceptions are those who are working or in cases of emergency.

In addition, all non-essential businesses, including theaters, malls, casinos, bars, gyms and “any place that promotes the gathering of citizens in one place” will be closed starting at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Gas stations, pharmacies, banks, and supermarkets will remain open, according to the New York Times.

The island currently reports four cases of the virus, according to the Herald, with many more suspected awaiting results.

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From the desk of Mother Jones CEO, Monika Bauerlein...

Newsrooms can be funded in many ways. One of the most controversial (and volatile) ways is by a for-profit corporation or a billionaire owner. We see it across the headlines on a weekly basis: the claw backs in public media, the gutting of The Washington Post, the bending over backwards to appeal to Trump and his allies.

But not here.

When Mother Jones first started publishing 50 years ago, our founders made a critical decision: to be a reader-supported nonprofit. They knew that no corporate owner would be interested in a muckraking newsroom; they also knew that no muckraking newsroom would be interested in following the agenda of a corporate owner.

And so, we’ve been reader-funded for half a century. We rely on contributions from our readers—readers like you—whether it’s $50, or $15 a month, or whatever fits your budget. People give what they can, and every donation makes a difference for our newsroom, which has grown tremendously—in size and reach and renown—since its inception in 1976.

You may be wondering: What does it take to publish an investigation? And what does my donation actually fund? The answers are one and the same: It takes people, resources, and time. And that’s what your donation funds directly.

Every donation Mother Jones receives from readers fortifies our newsroom, whether we’re covering underreported scandals out of Washington, DC, or the most important news of the day. And right now, each donation will be doubled because of our $50,000 match. So when you make a donation—$5, $50, any amount—it’ll go twice as far.

Your support keeps us going. If you’re able, donate today.

Thanks for reading.

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