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“Now we have are available in particular person to indicate that we’re with you, that each one of America is with you”: Joe Biden pledged his assist on Monday for Puerto Rico, an American territory within the Caribbean devastated by Hurricane Fiona and which considers itself generally uncared for.

Earlier than the president spoke, underneath a leaden and threatening sky, the governor of the island Pedro Pierluisi had summed up the sensation of some 3 million inhabitants of this poor territory, Americans who’ve the greenback for forex, however with out proper to vote in nationwide elections.

“My calls for are fairly easy, Mr. President: We wish to be handled like our fellow Individuals in the US in occasions of want,” he stated.

Puerto Rico deplores no less than a dozen deaths following the passage of Fiona. The hurricane quickly minimize the water and electrical energy networks, and swept away reconstruction efforts made because the passage in 2017 of different lethal hurricanes.

“Not effectively taken care of”

“We got here in particular person to indicate that we’re with you, that each one of America is with you,” the president assured him in return, accompanied by his spouse Jill Biden.

Upon leaving the White Home, he made this hanging admission, which additionally reads like a criticism of his predecessor: “I’ll Puerto Rico as a result of we have not taken excellent care of them.”

Former President Donald Trump had been criticized for the response deemed laborious by the federal state after the passage in 2017 of hurricanes Irma and Maria, accountable in line with native authorities for almost 3,000 deaths in Puerto Rico, an island the place the speed of poverty exceeds 40%.

Along with the emergency federal support which should cowl the aid and particles removing operations, Joe Biden introduced the discharge of a fund of 60 million {dollars} meant to strengthen the defenses of the island in opposition to rising waters.

He additionally promised that the beneficiant support voted lately by the American Congress, and which is sluggish to materialize, can be paid “to the closest greenback”.

After Trump

“Fiona will need to have been an all-too-familiar nightmare to anybody who survived (Hurricane) Maria,” he stated, stating that the island additionally suffered from an enormous earthquake in early 2020 and of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Joe Biden’s go to coincides to the day with the controversial one made by Donald Trump to Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017, after the passage of Hurricane Maria.

The Republican had distributed paper towels by throwing them like a basketball participant. The mayor of the capital San Juan had denounced an “insulting” gesture.

Florida, hurricane and elections

The previous president, accused of getting delayed support to Puerto Rico, had on the finish of his mandate offered himself as an ideal good friend of the territory.

If the inhabitants of Puerto Rico themselves don’t vote within the American nationwide elections, those that have emigrated to the US represent a politically courted diaspora, specifically in Florida.

This southern state was additionally hit by a hurricane, Ian, which sowed demise and devastation in the course of final week.

On Monday, Florida nonetheless estimated the harm, appreciable, and counted the deaths attributable to what stays one of the vital violent storms in current historical past of the US.

If the official toll is 62 lifeless, some American media consider that it might really exceed 100 victims.

By going there on Wednesday, Joe Biden will face a extra delicate scenario each logistically, since he intends to go to a very affected space, and politically.

Florida has considered one of Joe Biden’s fiercest critics, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, as its governor.

It was unclear on Monday whether or not the 2 males can be facet by facet throughout the presidential go to on Wednesday, at a time when political tensions are heightened in the US by the strategy of the legislative elections in November.

This text has been revealed routinely. Sources: ats / afp