San Juan mayor slams Trump official's claim that Puerto Rico response is a 'good news' story

On Friday, Mayor of San Juan Carmen Yulín Cruz did not contain her disgust and incredulity at the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke's statement to CNN that the Trump administration's emergency response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico is a "good news story." 

Mayor Cruz countered Duke's statement with an impassioned plea that should amount to a reality check for the Trump administration about the "life or death story" in the cities and towns of Puerto Rico.

SEE ALSO: Photos reveal dire situation unfolding in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria

"Dammit, this is not a good news story," said Cruz, in an interview with CNN. "This is a people are dying story. This is a life or death story."

Hurricane Maria engulfed the entire island of Puerto Rico when it made landfall there on September 20. Now, in the aftermath, many residents of the U.S. territory still lack access to food, water, and electricity — an especially dire situation for those with health needs such as dialysis that require a constant energy source.

Duke called post-Maria Puerto Rico a "good news story" because of the "limited number of deaths that have taken place in such a devastating hurricane."

The official death toll from the Hurricane so far stands at 16. However, according to the Miami Herald, the number of actual hurricane-related deaths could be much higher — even rising into the hundreds as the crisis continues.

"This is a story of a devastation that continues to worsen because people are not getting food and water," said Mayor Cruz. 

"If I could scream it, a lot more louder, it is not a good news story when people are dying."

On Thursday, President Donald Trump echoed Duke's statements on Twitter. 

In a series of tweets, he emphasized the extent of the damage in Puerto Rico, but also focused on the gratitude of the Puerto Rican government, the "great job" of first responders, and his wish for the media to treat his government's response "fairly."

Mayor Cruz said that the hearts of those working at FEMA and emergency response were "in the right place," and that she was grateful for "boots on the ground." But she continued to object to the Trump administration's continually positive characterization of the devastation of her people. 

"For heaven's sake, somebody let them do their job," said Cruz. "Let them get the food and the water in the hands of people. And then let's talk about good news."

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