Puerto Ricans, who if born within the commonwealth are given U.S. citizen status, received some attention during the "Latin America" segment of the latest Democratic presidential debate.

Saving the Commonwealth

During the Univision and Washington Post debate on March 9, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton were asked if they would help Puerto Rico restructure its $72 billion debt and economic crises.

According to Clinton, she will help the commonwealth within her first 100 days in the White House, if elected. She recognized that congressional action on Puerto Rico's debt crisis may occur before she enters the Oval Office, but, regardless, she wants Congress to give Puerto Rico the tools to restructure its debts.

"[It's] a grave injustice for the Congress, led by the Republicans to be refusing to enact that opportunity within the bankruptcy law. And what we see in Puerto Rico now is a lot of suffering. We see schools being closed, we see health care being denied and we see a thousand Puerto Rican families a month moving to the United States, mostly to Florida," said Clinton, adding that the island's population deserves to be treated with the same opportunities as citizens in mainland U.S.

Sanders acknowledged that the Puerto Rican government has been paying interest rates as high as 11 percent and many of its bonds were purchased by vulture capitalists for 30 cents on the dollar.

"And what I have said in talking to the leaders of Puerto Rico, we've got to bring people together, and it's not the people of Puerto Rico, or the children or the schools, but maybe some of these vulture capitalists who are going to have to lose a little bit of money in this process," Sanders said.

Latest Events on Puerto Rico's Debt Crisis

Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla has been calling Congress to give the island the "tools" to restructure its debts. As Latin Post reported, Garcia Padilla said he's not requesting for a bailout but simply the same Chapter 11 bankruptcy law benefits as given to the regular 50 U.S. states.

"The fiscal crisis in Puerto Rico is real. No one can argue seriously that there's anyone exaggerating on what we are facing, that Puerto Rico is facing the biggest fiscal crisis in its history. Puerto Rico is out of cash," Garcia Padilla said in December during a trip to Washington, D.C.

Puerto Rican government officials had hoped the latest congressional omnibus bill, voted on Dec. 18, 2015, would address the island's debt crisis, but it did not. After the omnibus vote, according to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., relevant House committees have been tasked to provide "a reasonable solution" for the commonwealth's debt.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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