Page 3 - ARUBA TODAY

A3
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 4 OctOber 2017
Trump sees ‘miracle’ Puerto Rico survival, ignores critics

died in 2005 when levees the reality and the White
protecting New Orleans House staff. I think they
broke, a toll in lives and finally understood.” In
property that took years to a tweet, she pointedly
understand.Trump’s most excluded the president as
prominent critic in Puerto she credited his people
Rico, San Juan Mayor with now understanding
Carmen Yulin Cruz, joined “the disconnect between
other officials at the air how things are supposed
base for a briefing with him, to happen and how they
shook the president’s hand really happen.”Air Force
and said afterward she One brought the president,
hoped he now understood first lady Melania Trump
the gravity of the situation. and aides to Puerto Rico for
But his comment implying a tour stretching through
Maria was not a Katrina- the afternoon.At least
level event left her unsure. parts of the itinerary were
“Sometimes his style of drawn to ensure a friendly
communication gets in reception: Trump visited the
the way,” she told CNN. houses of selected families
“I would hope that the waiting on their lawns.In
president of the United the upscale Guaynabo
President Donald Trump walks with FEMA administrator Brock Long, second from right, and Lt. Gen. States stops spouting out neighborhood, one of
Jeff Buchanan, right as he tours an area affected by Hurricane Maria in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, comments that really hurt the fastest to recover, 200
Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017. Trump is visiting Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. the people of Puerto Rico.” people cheered Trump’s
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) On a more positive note, visit and crowded around
Continued from Front Irma and Maria. His effusive conditioning. As for Katrina, Cruz said “I saw a real him for cellphone photos.
In the heart of San Juan, in praise for federal relief as many as 1,800 people connection between q
fact, a few miles from the efforts has overshadowed
air base where Trump gave his displays of empathy for
his thumbs-up report on those who are suffering.
progress, people stacked And in Puerto Rico, in
sewage-fouled clothes and particular, his criticism of
mattresses outside houses local people for not doing
and businesses lacking more to help themselves
electricity nearly two weeks has struck an off note
after the storm. “Nobody’s during a time of crisis.
come,” said Ray Negron, Trump said his visit was
38, collecting debris in the “not about me” but then
Playita neighborhood. praised local officials
Trump pledged an all-out for offering kind words
effort to help the island about his administration’s
while adding, somewhat recovery effort and invited
lightly, “Now I hate to one to repeat the “nice
tell you, Puerto Rico, but things” she’d said earlier.
you’ve thrown our budget Trump also singled out Gov.
a little out of whack Ricardo Rossello for “giving
because we’ve spent a lot us the highest praise.”
of money on Puerto Rico. “Every death is a horror,”
And that’s fine. We’ve he said, “but if you look
saved a lot of lives.” at a real catastrophe like
Known deaths from Maria in Katrina and you look at
the U.S. territory stand at 16. the tremendous, hundreds
But local officials caution of and hundreds and
that any accounting of hundreds of people that
death and destruction is far died, and you look at what
from complete as people happened here with, really,
suffer secondary effects a storm that was just totally
from thirst, hunger and overpowering, nobody has
extreme heat without air ever seen anything like
conditioning. As for Katrina, this.” He told local officials
as many as 1,800 people “you can be very proud of
died in 2005 when levees all your people, all of our
protecting New Orleans people working together.”
broke, a toll in lives and Known deaths from Maria in
property that took years to the U.S. territory stand at 16.
understand. But local officials caution
The visit offered fresh that any accounting of
evidence of the death and destruction is far
unconventional path Trump from complete as people
has taken in responding to suffer secondary effects
the one-two-three punch from thirst, hunger and
from hurricanes Harvey, extreme heat without air