President Trump's Threats to Puerto Rico

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ

  “President Trump’s threat to abandon the recovery efforts in Puerto Rico is absolutely despicable. I visited the island this past weekend, and I saw firsthand just how dire the situation is for the nearly 3.5 million Americans who make their home there. For the president to publicly consider removing federal help from the island in the midst of a humanitarian nightmare is disgusting.

“What is happening in Puerto Rico is not a game. The people of Puerto Rico need food, water, electricity and the basic essentials of life. They need a serious, sustained, long-term commitment from the federal government to provide relief for the island, to rebuild their infrastructure and to return life somewhere near to normal.

“They do not need half-cocked tweets and ridiculous threats,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. 

State Senator Gustavo Rivera on Trump's Tweets Threatening to Pull Back Federal Help from Puerto Rico 

  "I am utterly disgusted and completely enraged by Trump's tweets threatening to pull back federal relief workers from Puerto Rico only three weeks after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. It is sickening that the person in the most powerful position in our government shows such a lack of compassion and moral compass towards American citizens, as they face nothing less than a full-fledged humanitarian crisis. 

Three weeks after Maria wrecked the island, Puerto Rico remains without power. Further, I have personally heard accounts from people working on the ground that residents are still struggling to find clean water and secure essential goods, hospitals are running short on medicine, and the majority of schools are still closed.

While the outpouring support from our fellow citizens has been nothing short of extraordinary and profoundly generous, the response from the federal government has been slow, inept, irresponsible and cruel. It is imperative that Governor Roselló and Congress work together in order to put forth a comprehensive disaster aid package that will rebuild Puerto Rico with the best interests of Puerto Ricans in mind.

Trump fails to understand that this is not a game. The lives of 3.4 million American citizens are at stake. My brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico cannot be abandoned by their own government; they cannot be left to die. To quote the brave Mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz: "Mr. President, fulfill your moral imperative towards the people of Puerto Rico."

Make no mistake: We will hold this administration accountable and will continue to push them to do the right thing.

Finally, I will also ask you to sign my moveon.org petition so that Congress hears from as many Americans as possible that Puerto Rico needs immediate help."