Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz of San Juan, Puerto Rico has become the face and voice of the people who are suffering and dying in the aftermath of category 5 Hurricane Maria. After the slow response of the federal government, she has called attention to the obstacles of getting aid to remote parts of the island where the roads and bridges have been destroyed and that are still without electricity and phone service. There is still a huge shortage of clean water to drink and bath in, as well as, fuel for generators and vehicles. Some hospitals are still closed and those that are open are dangerously short of supplies. As Mayor Cruz notes in the second video below, even the three star general sent to coordinate relief said he needs more troops and equipment. Some observers have said that this is worse than Hurricane Katrina and the response has been paltry. Trump’s response to the criticism was to pat himself on the back and insult the mayor and the suffering people of the island with racist tweets. Yes, Trump is the racist we all knew he was.
Pro Publica has an excellent article on tips for donating after disasters. It is worth reading before you make any donations.
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