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Tag: Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

Masked and Armed with Rifles: Military Security Firms Roam Streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico

NOVANEWS By Joel Cintrón Arbasetti Latino Rebels Featured image: Antonsanti Street in Santurce, Puerto Rico (Joel Cintrón Arbasetti | Centro de Periodismo Investigativo) It’s the morning of Oct. 7 and a man stops traffic on Antonsanti Street in Santurce, behind the Ciudadela building. He is wearing a helmet, sunglasses, facemask, a vest with ammunition, gloves, plastic straps used for arrests, boots, camouflaged pants with knee pads, a knife and gun. There is a machine gun in his hand. He has no plaque or ID. He works for a private security firm hired by Nicholas Prouty, the owner of the Ciudadela complex. Prouty turned to that service after Hurricane María, he told the Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI in Spanish) last week. “With a substantial reduction in the number o...
Puerto Rico, USA

Congressional Disaster Relief Legislation Ignores Puerto Rico

NOVANEWS By Stephen Lendman Global Research   Hurricanes Maria and Irma caused vast destruction in Puerto Rico, creating humanitarian crisis conditions for millions. Instead of massive amounts of vitally needed aid and debt relief, the Trump administration requested House and Senate members authorize a $4.9 billion loan to the island as part of $36.5 billion in disaster relief – plus a $150 million loan, matching FEMA grants, increasing its unrepayable indebtedness instead of responsibly cancelling it. Funds loaned are intended for maintaining basic government operations, nothing for devastated Puerto Ricans. Most on the island still lack power. They have limited access to food, fuel and clean drinking water. Estimated hurricane damage is around $95 billion, according...
Puerto Rico

Two Storms Hit Puerto Rico: Maria and Colonialism

NOVANEWS by W. T. WHITNEY Photo by The National Guard | CC BY 2.0 Fans of socialist Rosa Luxemburg looking at Hurricane Maria’s assault on Puerto Rico may recall the deaths of 40 000 people in 1902 when Mt. Pelee erupted in Martinique, a French colony.  Luxemburg wrote then that “the lords of the earth,” who with “faith unshaken – in their own wisdom …have all turned to Martinique [to] help, rescue, dry the tears and curse the havoc-wreaking volcano.” They had plundered and murdered in colonies like Martinique and she was accusing them of hypocrisy in trying to comfort the survivors. Currently that accusation applies to U. S. words and deeds in the wake of two recent hurricanes – particularly Hurricane Maria – that left Puerto Rico in shambles. Food, water, and medical supplies w...
Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico: A Public Health Catastrophe

NOVANEWS By Stephen Lendman Global Research   Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke deplorably called the federal response to crisis conditions in Puerto Rico a “good news story,” adding she’s “very satisfied.” San Juan Mayor Yulin Cruz emotionally responded, saying “(w)ell, maybe from where she’s standing it’s a good-news story.” “When you’re drinking from a creek, it’s not a good-news story. When you don’t have food for a baby, it’s not a good-news story.” “When you have to pull people down from their buildings – I’m sorry, but that really upsets and frustrates me.” “I would ask her to come down here and visit the towns and then make a statement like that, which frankly is an irresponsible statement and contrast with the statements of support that I have be...