The island’s governor says creditors need to help it recover since they knew of the government’s deficit.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico’s governor said Thursday that creditors are responsible for helping the U.S. island out of its economic crisis because they lent money knowing the government was running a deficit.

Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla also sought to clarify comments recently published in The New York Times saying he believes Puerto Rico’s $72 billion public debt is unpayable.

“What we’re saying is, and I ask that you pay attention to the full sentence, that with the current level of economic growth, the debt is not payable,” he told reporters, alluding to the island’s nearly 9-year-old recession.

They were Garcia’s first public comments since a televised address Monday in which he announced that he would seek to postpone debt payments.

Garcia said he wants to talk with creditors about how to boost the economy with the money they are owed to help generate enough revenue to make payments under new terms.

“When they lent, they knew there was a deficit,” he said. “That’s why they’re being called to the table for sacrifices.”

Garcia has been meeting this week with government officials, business leaders, legislators and unions in a bid to create a long-term economic and fiscal reform plan to help get the U.S. territory out of its slump.

Garcia has hinted that he would announce additional measures in upcoming days to reduce costs and help revive the economy.

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