SAN JUAN (AFP, CNN) - Inakusahan ni President Donald Trump nitong Sabado ang mga Puerto Rican na masyadong manghingi, sa gitna ng tumitinding pagbatikos na kulang na kulang ang federal relief efforts sa islang sinalanta ng bagyo.
Karamihan ng 3.4 milyong residente ng US territory ang wala pa ring kuryente, malinis na tubig o linya ng komuniskasyon matapos manalasa ang Hurricane Maria nitong nakaraang buwan, at may mga ulat na hindi pa rin nakakarating sa isla ang anumang federal o local presence.
Matapos maghinaing si San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz na, ‘’We are dying here, and I cannot fathom the thought that the greatest nation in the world cannot figure out logistics for a small island,’’ bumuwelta si Trump.
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‘’Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help,” isinulat niya. ‘’They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort. 10,000 Federal workers now on Island doing a fantastic job.’’
Tinawag ni Representative Bennie Thompson, mataas na opisyal ng Democrat sa House Homeland Security Committee, ang tweet ni Trump na ‘’abhorrent’’ at ‘’pathetic that the president has decided to attack -- with the not so subtle veil of racism and sexism -- those desperately begging for his help.’’
Ilang Puerto Ricans na kinausap ng CNN ang nanindigan para sa mayor ng San Juan.
“I’m amazed that he has the gall to say Puerto Ricans expect everything to be done for them,” sabi ni Abner Breban ng Atlanta, na nagsimula ng Facebook group para lumikom ng pera sa relief. “They are working exhaustively to lift themselves up. We are citizens. We pay taxes. We serve in the military.”
