MARCHING FOR THE FORGOTTEN
‘Bittersweet’ Puerto Rican Day march on 5th Ave. Joy amid pain over hurricane-battered isle’s plight
SUNDAY’S Puerto Rican Day Parade doubled as a celebration of the island’s resilience and a reminder of its plight months after it was battered by Hurricane Maria.
Hundreds of thousands of people hit Fifth Ave. for the annual march, dancing and waving Puerto Rican flags but also sharing a somber message about the neglect of the U.S. commonwealth during its postdisaster recovery.
“It’s bittersweet, because the suffering, the pain in Puerto Rico goes on. It was unjustified. There was a total disrespect and disregard by this federal government,” Gov. Cuomo said before stepping off to march.
More than eight months after Maria, nearly 8,000 households in Puerto Rico are still without electricity.
A recent study found that as many as 4,645 people may have died as a result of the storm — dwarfing the official death count of 64.
The National Puerto Rican Day Parade honored first responders and recovery workers who have aided the island.
At a breakfast before the march, Cuomo called the Trump administration’s response to the disaster “anti-American” and blamed it on racist attitudes House. at the White
“We celebrate much, but we also stand and march in defiance today. We march and stand in defiance at the gross and obnoxious injustice that this country has done to Puerto Rico,” he said. “The lack of response, the dis- ON PARADE FOR THE 4,645 WHO COuLDN’T MAKE IT
respect, the inhumanity, the lack of concern — the ease with which they did it is frankly disturbing.
“It’s a symptom of a federal government that believes in a sense of division — that believes that people who are immigrants are bad, who believes people with different color skin and languages are an offense to this nation. And what they did in Puerto Rico was a symptom of that.”
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (DBrooklyn) said she had turned down an invitation to tour Puerto Rico with President Trump.
“The President is lucky I didn’t accompany him, because if I had been in his presence I might not be standing here,” she said. “I might be in jail.”
She urged paradegoers to find time amid the celebrations to register to vote. “Don’t get mad, get even — get even with our President,” she said.
Volunteers from New York have poured into Puerto Rico to assist with the recovery.
Utility workers from the city have helped get the power grid back up and running, and State and City University of New York students are headed to the island this summer to work on rebuilding homes.
“I am a New Yorker — and I feel supported,” said paradegoer Deborah Fernandez.
City Public Advocate Letitia James said that Puerto Rico was New York’s “sixth borough.”
“It’s unconscionable that the government has failed these Americans,” she said.
“It’s all love and pride here today,” said Ivette Sterling, who joined the crowds watching floats, flags and bands make their way along Fifth Ave.
But Diana Ortiz said the event didn’t have its usual festive air.
“The mood? It’s very dead today. It’s nothing like any other Puerto Rican parade, it’s totally different,” she said, “due to the fact they’re not supporting Puerto Rico — that’s why it’s like this.”