Hurricane Maria: Puerto Rico is far away from the White House

Three weeks after the storm, the Puerto Ricans still barely have electricity and water, waiting for medical care. Is the US government neglecting its external territory?

Hurricane Maria: Puerto Rico is far away from the White House
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    The eight-minute video that president personally shared on Twitter at beginning of week shows a smooth drain of cleanup work in Puerto Rico. We can see members of US military supplying water, freeing roads from fallen trees, boats with drugs on board and trucks that bring diesel to generators. Later, pictures show Donald Trump and first lady while y shake hands with ir residents. "What fake news media won't show you in Puerto Rico," it says at beginning. The government film is underscored with dramatic music, which gives whole appearance of an advertising clip of US Army. The message is clear: no matter what media reports – The situation is under control.

    What is not mentioned in video: even less than three weeks after Hurricane Maria are almost 90 percent of island without electricity supply, more than a third of inhabitants have no access to clean drinking water or mobile network. Meanwhile, re are first cases of leptospirosis, which are traced back to polluted water. The official number of 45 deaths is expected to rise furr in coming weeks. Puerto Rico is US territory, its 3.4 million residents are American citizens. The mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulín Cruz, is asking for more help in view of situation since days ago via Twitter. The power in San Juan's hospital is down, but government in Washington is "nothing!". "We need water!" She repeated in several tweets.

    Puerto Rico lay on ground, n came storm

    Experts warn that disaster could throw island back for decades. Puerto Rico is suffering from a sustained recession and has accumulated debts of around 73 billion US dollars while trying to remain solvent. For more than a year, government has been arguing with creditors and investors who insist on paying money. Many residents have left Puerto Rico in past few years looking for jobs and have moved to mainland; Those who could not go back were left behind. Puerto Rico is in a spiral of death, warned governor two years ago. Not even salaries of state officials or pensions can be paid by government at moment. At end of month, government could become insolvent. The economic recovery could go on for years, economists appreciated – and that was before Mary came.

    Now island and its inhabitants are about to survive. New rains have been hampering cleanup work for days and hampering medical care. Dialysis patients would not receive important treatments because re are not enough generators to operate machines, New York Times reported. Only a fraction of medical staff can currently work at all, re is a lack of medicine, while patient numbers have risen. Many roads have become mud falling through rains in past few days. Trips from capital city of San Juan to neighboring places last one and a half hours. In many places, citizens have to take over work mselves, because organized helpers only slowly enter surrounding areas.

    Date Of Update: 13 October 2017, 12:03
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