Page 5 - UTILITIES

A12 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 19 december 2017

Honduras: Puerto Rico govt

Hernandez declared election winner; unrest persists orders review of all
post-Maria deaths

By FREDDY CUEVAS By DANICA COTO
Associated Press Associated Press
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico
(AP) — Protests erupted (AP) — Puerto Rico’s gov-
across Honduras on Mon- ernor on Monday ordered
day following an official authorities to review all
declaration that President deaths reported since
Juan Orlando Hernandez Hurricane Maria hit nearly
has won re-election, even three months ago amid
as the Organization of accusations that the U.S.
American States proposed territory has vastly under-
a re-do of the disputed counted storm-related
vote. deaths.
The OAS, which had sent Gov. Ricardo Rossello said
election observers to the in a statement that it’s pos-
country, issued a statement sible the toll is higher than
saying it was impossible to the 64 deaths currently
determine the outcome blamed on the Category 4
with enough certainty due hurricane that hit on Sept.
to irregularities including 20 with winds of up to 154
“deliberate human intru- mph (248 kph), causing up
sions into the computer sys- to an estimated $95 billion
tem, intentional elimination Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez speaks during a news conference in Tegucigalpa, in damage.
of digital traces,” opened Honduras. Protests erupted across Honduras on Monday following an official declaration that “We always expected that
ballot boxes and “extreme President Juan Orlando Hernandez has won re-election. the number of hurricane-
statistical improbability re- (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio) related deaths would in-
garding levels of participa- Salvador Nasralla blocked Facusse, not a supporter Electoral tribunal president crease as we received
tion within the same de- streets and highways of the president, said peo- David Matamoros an- more factual information
partment,” combined with around the country Mon- ple were frustrated by the nounced Sunday evening — not hearsay— and this
the narrow vote differen- day with burning tires and electoral court decision. that Hernandez had won review will ensure we are
tial. rocks. As soon as police “We must have new elec- the election, saying, “We correctly counting every-
“The only possible path for and soldiers would clear tions,” he said. “That is a have fulfilled our obligation body,” he said. “We also
the winner to be the Hon- the obstacles, protesters good decision, but Presi- (and) we wish for there to want the most accurate
duran people is a new call would put them back. dent Hernandez will have be peace in our country.” count and understanding
for general elections. ... Re- Universities, banks and to give in to the public.” According to the court’s of how people lost their
specting democratic val- some other businesses re- “It’s better to be locked up official count, Hernandez lives to fully account for
ues and citizens is the nec- mained closed due to the in our houses,” said Maria won with 42.95 percent to the impact of these storms,
essary road to safeguard disturbances in Tegucigal- Velasquez, a teacher living 41.42 for Nasralla, who long and to identify ways in
society from death and pa. Those who still had to in Valle de Angeles, a town ago said it would not ac- which we can prevent fa-
violence,” the OAS said. work made their commutes outside the capital. cept the result. talities in advance of future
Vice President Ricardo on foot. Maria Gutierrez, a street There was no immediate disasters.”
Alvarez rejected the call Most businesses were vendor blocking the en- public comment by Her- Previously, Rossello’s ad-
for new elections and ac- closed in the country’s sec- trance to the Kennedy nandez, whose sister Hilda ministration had repeat-
cused the opposition lead- ond city, San Pedro Sula. neighborhood in south Te- Hernandez, a Cabinet min- edly defended the official
ers of acting like children. National Police spokes- gucigalpa with dozens of ister, died Saturday in a heli- count of hurricane-related
“The only election will be man Jairo Meza said some others, said she just wants copter crash. The first results deaths even though de-
the one in four years,” he businesses there had been Hernandez gone. reported by the electoral mographers said a spike
said. “In this country there looted. “We’re not fighting for Nas- court before dawn the day in the average number of
will be order, mark my A bus was burned near La ralla or anyone,” she said. after the election showed deaths after the hurricane
words, because we won’t Lima about 185 miles (300 “We fight for our rights.” Nasralla with a significant was not normal.
let 20 Hondurans paralyze kilometers) north of Teguci- At least 17 people have lead over Hernandez with While the current death toll
the country.” galpa. died in violent street clash- nearly 60 percent of the includes some who died of
Supporters of challenger Textile magnate Adolfo es since the Nov. 26 vote. vote counted.q heart attacks, suicide and
respiratory failure, critics
Venezuela: say it fails to account for

Power outage in capital blamed on line break all of those for which the
storm and the hardships it
caused were contributing
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) state television and local has struggled to maintain Venezuela on “sabotage” factors. Relatives of vic-
— A critical link in Venezu- media accounts. its electrical grid amid a by the opposition. tims note that the storm
ela’s power grid broke on A power surge may have worsening economic crisis. Power had been restored left the entire island of
Monday, leaving much of caused the break of a short The trustee of a $650 mil- to parts of Caracas after 3.4 million people without
the nation’s capital and line bridging a power plant lion power company bond the outage lasting several power, including hospitals
two nearby states tempo- with a substation, Elec- declared it in default in No- hours, and officials said and nursing homes caring
rarily without power, offi- tric Energy Minister Motta vember following a missed they expected to return for people on respirators or
cials said. Dominguez said. The out- interest payment, though power to all residents within other electric equipment.
The mid-day blackout af- age also struck parts of Mi- the company later said it a few hours. Officials have said the av-
fected the Caracas sub- randa and Vargas states. had paid the amount due. Officials gave no estimates erage number of daily
way system and its interna- Power outages are com- Government officials rou- of how many people were deaths increased from 82
tional airport, according to mon in Venezuela, which tinely blame outages in affected.q to 117 after the storm.q