Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 20 OctOber 2017
Puerto Rico still stumbles in the dark a month after ‘Maria’

By DANICA COTO ing. And while nearly 90 over parts of the island as U.S. territories affected by children and his mother-in-
Associated Press percent of supermarkets more and more generators Hurricane Maria receive law are staying in a 13-by-9
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico have reopened, many are turned on to light hos- unequal treatment com- foot (4-by-2.7 meter) room
(AP) — One man climbs 24 that remained unscathed
flights of stairs several times as the hurricane ripped the
a day alongside dormant rest of their home apart in
elevators. Street vendors the north coastal town of
hawk plastic washboards Dorado. “I’m leaving Fri-
for $20. And families out- day for Massachusetts. I
stretch their hands as crews can’t stay here.”
in helicopters drop supplies He is among tens of thou-
in communities that remain sands of Puerto Ricans
isolated. trying to restart life in the
This is life one month after U.S. mainland after losing
Hurricane Maria slammed homes or jobs or both after
into the U.S. territory on the storm. Those who re-
Sept. 20 as a Category 4 main behind say the post-
storm that killed at least 48 hurricane conditions are
people, destroyed tens of draining them.
thousands of homes and The complaints posted on
left tens of thousands of social media or shared
people without a job. It over beers or candlelight
was the strongest hurricane dinners are multiplying:
to hit Puerto Rico in nearly a Weight loss.
century, with winds just shy Roaring generators. Spo-
of Category 5 force. radic sleep in oppressive
“I’ve never seen anything A U.S. Army helicopter transports material to repair the Guajataca Dam, damaged during heat. Swarms of mosqui-
like this,” retired school- Hurricane Maria, in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017. The dam was built around toes. Worsening traffic
teacher Santa Rosario said 1928, and holds back a man-made lake. jams. Breakouts of pinkeye.
as she scanned empty (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Hands rendered raw by
shelves at a supermarket daily clothes washing.
in the capital of San Juan have bare rows of shelves pitals, homes and even the pared with U.S. states. Celebrations of power
that had run out of water empty of goods ranging power company itself. In The U.S. Federal Emergency coming back on in certain
jugs — again. from water to bananas to turn, the number of asthma Management Agency also neighborhoods are often
Maria caused as much as canned tuna. cases and thefts has in- has pledged more than brief: A litany of happy
an estimated $85 billion in “We’re not eating well,” creased. $171 million to help restore exclamation points follow-
damage across an island said 28-year-old mainte- Newly precious genera- power across the island, ing messages of elation
already mired in an 11-year nance worker Pedro Lo- tors have been stolen from and it has distributed more posted on social media
recession. pez as he took a break places including a nursing than $5 million to munici- are usually replaced a day
That has complicated and from cleaning a damaged home, an airport cargo ter- palities in need, as well as later by angry emojis.
delayed efforts to restruc- apartment complex. “It’s a minal and a hospital. $ 1 million to Puerto Rico’s Many use social media to
ture a portion of a $74 bil- lot of white rice and fried Nearly 5,000 people remain National Guard. post endless questions on
lion public debt load that eggs.” in shelters, with many using Resident Commissioner post-hurricane help: where
officials say is unpayable. Near where he stood, mas- rainwater to shower. Jenniffer Gonzalez said to find fans with batteries
And it has thrust Puerto sive tree trunks, pieces of “Life has changed dra- the storm set Puerto Rico (nowhere so far); where to
Rico’s territorial status into zinc roofs and soggy items matically,” said Gilberto back 20 to 30 years, and find affordable baby sitters
the international spotlight, including mattresses still Del Orbe, 50, who used to while generators, food, wa- as some parents return to
reviving a sharp debate lined the street — a scene install marble and gypsum ter and other types of aid work while schools remain
about its political future common across the island. board. “I’ve had no work. are still being flown and closed (Many suggest-
as the island of 3.4 million Less than half of Puerto Everything is paralyzed.” shipped to the island, peo- ed finding unemployed
people attempts to recov- Rico’s cellphone towers Last week, the House of ple say it’s not enough. friends); what’s the best
er from flooding, landslides are operating, and only 64 Representatives passed “We lost our home and we way to wash clothes by
and power and water out- percent of bank branches a $36.5 billion disaster aid lost our car,” said Lisan- hand (A majority of votes
ages. have reopened, some of package for places includ- dro Santiago, a 42-year- went to someone who sug-
Roughly 80 percent of them with dead outdoor ing Puerto Rico and the U.S. old carpenter who started gested placing them in a
power customers remain ATMs whose empty screens Virgin Islands, and now a work just a week ago and big garbage bag with wa-
in the dark, and another prompt a roll of eyes from group of Democratic law- was overseeing a crew re- ter and soap and shaking it
30 percent are without wa- people seeking to with- makers are pushing for tax pairing an apartment com- vigorously).
ter. Schools remain closed. draw money. relief, saying that people plex. “If it continues like this, a
Stoplights are not operat- A brown haze has settled and businesses in both He and his wife, their three lot of people are going to
leave,” said Rosario, the
Chile welcomes Venezuelan judges, grants them asylum retired schoolteacher. “But
not me. I will stay here.”
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — ean Embassy in Caracas highest court declared the the judges in Chile’s capital She paused and then con-
Chile is welcoming four in August and were later appointments unconstitu- Thursday. Munoz said the tinued to push her cart
Venezuelan judges who granted asylum. tional and said the judges judges left Venezuela on slowly through the aisles,
oppose the government of They are among 33 judg- could be arrested for ille- their own by crossing the searching for new food
President Nicolas Maduro. es sworn in July 21 by the gally usurping power and border with Colombia after options after having eat-
The judges appointed by National Assembly in de- betraying the nation if they Venezuela’s government en sandwiches of canned
Venezuela’s opposition- fiance of Venezuela’s took their new posts. failed to provide them safe chicken and asparagus
controlled National Assem- government-stacked Su- Chilean Foreign Minister conduct. A fifth judge is ex- for breakfast, lunch and
bly took refuge in the Chil- preme Court. Venezuela’s Heraldo Munoz received pected to join them later.q dinner.q