Weather Report #22: The grungy civil war comic that made me want to be a journalist, an underappreciated film for the globalization age, and more

Good morning, dear reader! Welcome to Weather Report, a weekly column where I recommend a book, a movie, some possibly underlooked articles, and music for paying subscribers. I've been extremely tired this week for literally no reason, but I hopefully have a couple bits of good news to announce next week. So, be on the lookout for that.

Here's what you're getting this week:

1. Another Heavy Weather short-form video.
2. Updates on: a special 9 Millones subscribers only event, the guilty plea of an American tourist, and a CPA's Act 20/22 legal case starting back up.
3. The dark, grungy comic book about the Second American Civil War that made me want to become a journalist.
4. Essays, articles, and columns about: Silicon Valley, ICJ's climate opinion, Andor, and Agriculture in South America.
5. An underappreciated movie made for the age of globalization that knows the internet is global.
6. Three song to mindlessly put on while doing chores around the house.

If you're interested in seeing the recommendations – and supporting Heavy Weather's quest to keep tabs on collapse – you can become a paid subscriber by clicking the button below. Paid subscribers get access to the MEDIA LIST, a comprehensive list of every book, movie, and video game I've ever recommended. If you're already a paid subscriber, thank you very much! This newsletter would literally not be possible without your support.

What I Did This Week:

In a quest to make this newsletter reach a wider audience, I have once again depthed into the Gen Z trenches and created a short-form vertical video. This one is based on this story about the IRS Summons sent to an Act 22 beneficiary. It got significantly less views on TikTok than my first one, but it got more engagement on Instagram. So, that's nice.

Updates:

9 Millones Members-Only Event

While this update section is usually pretty sparse, I am working on a couple of bigger projects for other outlets, as well as all the backend research and reporting needed for this newsletter to function.

One of the things I'm working on is getting ready for 9 Millones' first members only event, which will happen next Wednesday, July 30 at 3:00pm AST. We'll be talking about Puerto Rico's beaches, how they're being privatized through different bills running through the legislature and construction projects, and the groups trying to fight against that. If you want to join, you should become a member!

Tourist Pleads Guilty to Burning Down Businesses in Beachfront Town

Danielle Bertothy, the American tourist who burned down a hotel and restaurant in the beachfront municipality of Cabo Rojo, pleaded guilty on Tuesday. So, that closes a chapter on that case.

You can find the plea agreement here.

You can find my previous coverage of the incident for The Latino Newsletter here and here. While you're there, you should also hit them with a like and a follow.

Don't Wait Too Long to Process Act 20/22 Cases

Gabriel Hernández, a CPA who worked for the tax division of BDO Puerto Rico, was indicted and arrested nearly five years ago for wire fraud charges related to Act 20 and Act 22. The last motion submitted in his case before 2025 was in August 2023. Because his case has taken so long to get through the court system, Hernández filed a motion to dismiss based on his right to a speedy trial.

To make a long story short, Hernández allegedly filed fraudulent tax-exempt applications for an undercover IRS special agent using a fraudulent Act 20 exemption status. The indictment further alleged that he engaged in "sham transactions" to create the illusion of a consulting business earning income in Puerto Rico, according to the DOJ press release.

You can find the motion to dismiss here.

Since Heavy Weather has slowly become a newsletter keeping tabs on Act 20/22/60 legal issues, I'm going to keep my eye on whatever happens with this case. Also, based on Thobias's indictment, what I've reported on Ederle's IRS Summons, the legal machinery of the Hernández case starting back up, and some documents in my possession that I've yet to publish, it seems possible that there's been an uptick in the government's interest in Puerto Rico's tax breaks over the last year and a half or so.

That's it for this week's free stuff. If you want to see the media recommendations and the link roundup, you can become a paid subscriber today.