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A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 23 SepteMber 2019

Puerto Rico faces slow recovery 2 years after Maria

By DÁNICA COTO of Puerto Rico this month. for Puerto Rico's Electric
Associated Press While U.S. Congress has Power Authority, told the
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) appropriated nearly $43 AP on Friday.
— Weekly power outages. billion in federal hurricane He said transmission lines
Hundreds of uncleared recovery funds for Puerto have been repaired and
landslides. More than Rico, only $13.3 billion of can now withstand winds
25,000 homes with blue the $21 billion obligated by of 140 mph (225 kph), but
tarps as roofs. the U.S. government has distribution lines, of which
Recovery from Hurricane been disbursed, Ottmar there are five times more
Maria has been slow as Chávez, executive director than those of transmission,
Puerto Rico on Friday re- of the island's Central Of- will likely not survive a Cat-
membered those who fice for Reconstruction and egory 2 storm. Sepúlveda
died two years ago. The Recovery, told The Associ- said crews also still have to
Category 4 storm killed an ated Press. bury power lines that con-
estimated 2,975 people in "We certainly still have nect to critical infrastruc-
its aftermath and caused In this Oct. 5, 2017 file photo, Department of Homeland Security many needs, and there's ture including hospitals
personnel deliver supplies to Santa Ana community residents in
more than an estimated the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico. still work to do," he said. and relocate substations in
$100 billion in damage. It Associated Press The state of the power grid flood-prone areas.
was the strongest storm to remains one of the biggest The power company is seek-
hit the U.S. territory in nearly local officials say are need- 13-year recession. Officials concerns for Puerto Ricans ing $8 billion in hurricane re-
a century, sparking an es- ed to repair roads, build say the island is not entirely since reconstruction has covery funds for upcoming
timated exodus of nearly new homes and improve ready to withstand another not even started. projects, Sepúlveda said,
160,000 people to the U.S. the island's unstable pow- direct hit at the height of "It's a project that will take adding that it takes time for
mainland. er grid, making it hard for hurricane season, noting seven years or more," José the U.S. Federal Emergency
Still delayed are millions of Puerto Rico to recover as it that hurricanes Dorian and Sepúlveda, transmission Management Agency to
dollars in federal funds that struggles to emerge from a Jerry passed just northeast and distribution engineer review those projects.q

Colombian leader warns Venezuela

socialist, warning that he While Duque refused to rule contending that the gov-
would be making a "stupid" out a military strike against ernment has betrayed the
mistake if he were to attack the Marxist rebels he claims accord aimed at end-
his U.S.-backed neighbor. are hiding out across the ing over five decades of
Ivan Duque made the border, he said any aggres- bloodshed. The Colombian
comments in an interview sion by Venezuela's armed leader is expected to ac-
Saturday with The Associ- forces would immediately cuse Maduro of breaking a
ated Press before traveling trigger a regional response U.N. Security Council resolu-
to New York where he is ex- that could include addi- tion passed after the Sept.
pected to condemn Mad- tional sanctions and diplo- 11, 2001 terrorist attacks by
uro before the United Na- matic actions. offering the rebels refuge.
tions General Assembly as "If they consider doing The embattled Venezuelan
an abusive autocrat who something so stupid, they president has repeatedly
is not only responsible for know what the conse- denied those accusations.
the country's humanitarian quences will be," said Though Maduro himself will
Colombia's President Ivan Duque listens to questions during an
interview with The Associated Press at the CATAM air base in catastrophe but is also now Duque. not attend this year's U.N.
Bogota, Colombia, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019. a threat to regional stability Duque has ratcheted up General Assembly, his del-
Associated Press for his alleged harboring of pressure against Maduro in egates say they'll levy simi-
Colombian rebels. recent weeks after a small lar charges against Duque,
By JOSHUA GOODMAN pared Nicolás Maduro to "The brutality of Nicolas band of dissident leftist reb- accusing him of failing to
CHRISTINE ARMARIO Serbian war criminal Slobo- Maduro is comparable to els decided to break with act against illegal armed
Associated Press dan Milosevic as he goes Slobodan Milosevic, "said Colombia's historic peace groups plotting attacks
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — on a diplomatic offensive Duque. "It must come to an process and take up arms against his government
Colombia's president com- to corral the Venezuelan end." against the state again, from Colombia.q