Puerto Ricans feel forgotten, seek aid

The march in Washington, D.C. put focus on island still reeling after hurricane.

WASHINGTON — Thousands of demonstrators packed the National Mall on Sunday in support of disaster relief for hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rican flags flapped as speakers gave impassioned pleas for funding and support for Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria. The hurricane made landfall in September and devastated the U.S. territory of 3.4 million people.

By afternoon, hundreds amassed in front of the Lincoln Memorial as part of the Unity March for Puerto Rico. Among the demonstrators was “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who demonstrated along with the nonprofit Hispanic Federation.

Two months after the hurricane, more than half of the island is still without power, according to a Puerto Rican government website tracking disaster relief. About 10 percent of the island’s residents still lack access to running water.

“And so today we march. Peacefully and with purpose,” Miranda tweeted.

Rafael Martinez, 55, arrived from New York City early Sunday morning with his wife, Jay Ortiz, and their two young daughters to help demand government support for the island.

“This is [President] Trump’s Katrina,” Martinez said. “Enough is enough. People are starving, they don’t have clean water and some don’t even have roofs. We need to help these people.”

His wife nodded in agreement as their children huddled nearby.

“Just because we’re separate we’re not getting the support we deserve,” Ortiz, 35, said.

On its website, the Hispanic Federation listed a number of pleas: proportionate aid for Puerto Rico to that given for disaster relief to the mainland United States, where hurricanes Harvey and Irma battered cities in Texas and Florida; stronger infrastructure in Puerto Rico that can outlast future hurricanes; swift delivery of supplies to residents in need; elimination of the Jones Act, which limits how many ships can be sent to Puerto Rico; and forgiveness of Puerto Rico’s $73 billion debt.

Puerto Rico has asked Congress for $94 billion in disaster relief aid, according to The Associated Press. The White House asked Congress last week for $44 billion in disaster aid for hurricaneravaged areas in Texas, Puerto Rico and Florida.