Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 4 November 2017

Brazil: Officials disagree on Puerto Rico

Divided over wanting Lula in office or jail power restoration timeline plan
By DANICA COTO
Associated Press
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Officials in the U.S. and
Puerto Rico gave differing views Thursday on when pow-
er will be fully restored to the U.S. territory after Hurricane
Maria hit as a Category 4 storm more than a month ago.
Ricardo Ramos, director of the state-owned power
company, said the utility has restored 35 percent of the
electrical system’s regular output and expects to reach
50 percent by mid-November and 95 percent by mid-
December. But Ray Alexander, director of contingency
operations at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said the
corps’ goal is to have 50 percent restored by the end of
November and 75 percent by the end of January.
“We are focused on executing the mission we’ve been
assigned,” Alexander said at a hearing in Washington,
adding that the agency has been working with the U.S.
Department of Energy to help develop a more resilient
electrical grid for Puerto Rico.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello criticized the Army Corps of Engi-
neers earlier this week for what he said was a lack of ur-
gency in responding to Puerto Rico’s island-wide black-
out.
The discrepancy came as President Donald Trump
In this Friday, March 4, 2016, photo, Brazil’s former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is surrounded cleared the way for additional federal funding for Puerto
by supporters as he leaves the Worker’s Party building in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Half of Brazilians want Rico by amending a September disaster declaration to
former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to win 2018’s election and return to the office he occu-
pied between 2003 and 2010. The other half wants him in prison. increase the share of rebuilding and recovery costs borne
(AP Photo/Nelson Antoine) by the U.S. government.
By MAURICIO SAVARESE guilty verdict. If it’s upheld, there are also questions Trump had already authorized the Federal Emergen-
cy Management Agency to pay 100 percent of some
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — he could go to jail and be about whether the former cleanup and emergency costs for 180 days. Washington
Half of Brazilians want for- barred from running. If it’s president’s own Workers’ will now pay 90 percent of the additional cost of rebuild-
mer President Luiz Inacio overturned, da Silva is fac- Party has a Plan B.“Lula’s ing Puerto Rico, including repair of public infrastructure
Lula da Silva to win next ing several other trials that candidacy is irreversible,” like hospitals, bridges and roads and restoration of the is-
year’s election and return could interfere with his Workers’ Party chairwoman land’s devastated power grid.
to the office he occupied campaign.Despite the set- Gleisi Hoffmann told The As- Typically, U.S. states cover 25 percent of those costs, with
between 2003 and 2010. backs, da Silva has seen his sociated Press.Ciro Gomes, federal taxpayers covering 75 percent. Puerto Rico’s fi-
The other half wants him approval rating rise since a former Cabinet minister nances were in shambles even before the storm made
in prison for a corruption the conviction, cementing in da Silva’s government landfall in September.
conviction.Those dueling the reality that he will likely and a presidential hope- A large swath of the island still has no electricity, and
sentiments now underscore be a force in the election ful himself, disagrees.“The complaints are widespread among business owners who
an important question as one way or the other.The Workers’ Party will have a say losses are mounting and from parents who say their
campaigns begin gearing chairman of a group of candidate, but it won’t be children need to start school. Nearly 20 percent of the
up ahead of the 2018 elec- three magistrates has said Lula,” Gomes said recently island remains without water since Maria hit Sept. 20 with
tion: Will da Silva, who is ap- that he expects the court at a conference in Sao winds of up to 154 mph, killing at least 55 people. Tens of
pealing the conviction, be to rule on da Silva’s ap- Paulo.The election is Oct. thousands have lost their jobs and some say more than
allowed to run?“Whether peal before next August. 7, 2018, with a likely runoff 470,000 people could leave the island in upcoming years.
Lula runs or not makes all The election is in October. three weeks later if none “If we don’t re-establish power and other basic services,
the difference in the next Da Silva was convicted in of the candidates obtain the damage to our economy will be even greater,” said
election,” said Carlos Melo, July by Judge Sergio Moro more than 50 percent of Puerto Rico’s public affairs secretary, Ramon Rosario. “We
a political science profes- as part of a sprawling in- the vote.A survey by polling cannot allow that, and we have established clear goals.”
sor at Insper University in vestigation into kickbacks firm Datafolha says da Silva The difference in estimates came two days after the state-
Sao Paulo. “Even if he is by construction compa- has 35 percent support owned utility canceled a heavily scrutinized $300 million
jailed he won’t be out of nies and public officials. Da for the first election round, contract awarded to Whitefish Energy Holdings. The Mon-
the race, as whoever he Silva was sentenced to 9 compared to 17 percent tana-based company is located in the hometown of U.S.
supports could be a com- 1/2 years in jail and barred for his closest rival, Con- Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and had only two-full time
petitive candidate.”With from holding public office gressman Jair Bolsonaro, a employees before the storm hit. Crews subcontracted by
a lead in all polls, the man for seven.But while candi- former army captain who Whitefish will finish their projects before Nov. 30, officials
universally known as Lula is dates figure out how to po- speaks glowingly about the said.
campaigning across Bra- sition themselves depend- country’s 1964-1985 dicta- Ramos continued to praise Whitefish despite local and
zil while he appeals the ing on da Silva’s legal fate, torship. federal audits of the contract.