San Juan, Puerto Rico Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz is still not holding back when responding to President Donald Trump’s remarks.
During an appearance on CNN Tuesday night, Cruz disputed Trump’s latest tweet taking aim at Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Maria recovery funds last year, as another storm approaches the island.
Wow! Yet another big storm heading to Puerto Rico. Will it ever end? Congress approved 92 Billion Dollars for Puerto Rico last year, an all time record of its kind for “anywhere.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2019
Cruz said that the $92 billion appropriation that Trump mentioned in his tweet was not true and that the recovery relief amount was close to $42 billion. She noted that only $12.6 to $14 billion have come to Puerto Rico.
“Still, things have not worked appropriately. Things continue to change,” Cruz said, citing “different attitudes and different laws and restrictions” brought upon Puerto Rico that are different from any other jurisdiction.
Cruz then pointed out that “it appears that FEMA has learned some of the lessons from the past from Irma and Maria” when it comes to supplies and shelter.
“I got off the phone [FEMA’s director in Puerto Rico] and it appears they have, you know, 3.2 million liters of water. They have five warehouses there in Puerto Rico,” Cruz said. “He told me they have around 200,000 blue roofs — blue tarps, sorry. So, you know, it seems like some people have learned the lessons of the past or are willing to say that they didn’t do right by us the first time and they are trying to do their best.”
Cruz, however, said that sentiment “is not the case with the President of the United States.”
“We are not going to be concerned by frankly his behavior, his lack of understanding and it is ludicrous,” Cruz said. “3,000 Puerto Ricans did not open their eyes this morning because this racist man did not have it within him to do his job.”
Cruz concluded the segment by saying that Trump needs to “get out of the way.”
“Let the people that can do the job get the job done,” Cruz said.
Watch the San Juan mayor’s response below:
San Juan Mayor: "So get out of the way President Trump and let the people that can do the job get the job done." pic.twitter.com/Ao38fKjWvh
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) August 28, 2019
