Governor Andrew Cuomo visits Puerto Rico to discuss territory's financial crisis

NEW YORK (WABC) -- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and a delegation of federal, state and local leaders traveled to Puerto Rico Monday.

"In the malls, stores are closing down. The towns where there used to be business, the whole business area is closed down! Only a few stores are surviving, and they're not really surviving, they are dying," said Manny Rodriguez, of Carolinas, Puerto Rico.

That snapshot provides an ever-so-small backdrop to Governor Cuomo's visit to Puerto Rico.

The governor and a delegation of federal, state and local leaders landed in San Juan about 6:00 p.m. Monday.

After a quick stop at their hotel, they ventured off to dinner at "La Fortaleza" the official residence of the island's Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla.

Monday night and Tuesday, both sides will discuss how New York can help Puerto Rico dig itself out of a $72-billion hole, an enormous debt Governor Padilla called "unpayable."

Bronx assemblyman and island native Marcos Crespo is the chair of New York's Puerto Rican-Hispanic task force.

"Having a presence alone is sending a message to the island that New York wants to be involved, wants to lend its expertise, and wants to know what it can do. And a lot can be exchanged in these meetings," Crespo said.

"What we do after this? There's going to be a lot of conversations and everyone is going to have to put personalities aside, politics aside, because the people of Puerto Rico who are 3.5 million Americans need help," said Ruben Diaz, Jr., the Bronx Borough President.

Massive debt is just one of many problems in Puerto Rico, a double-digit unemployment rate, escalating crime, and financial mismanagement all plague an economy that's shrinking, not growing.

Nelson Torres, born in Manhattan but now a hotel manager in San Juan, has watched so many young faces desert the island in search of opportunity.

"People are leaving, absolutely. All the professionals who get their college degree, they don't have no jobs here so they have to go up to the states," Torres said.

Eyewitness News anchor Joe Torres is in Puerto Rico covering Governor Cuomo's visit.

You can also follow his updates on Twitter.