By Luis de Jesus
04 Nov 2023, 17:59 PM EDT
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador spoke about Acapulco’s recovery plans after the devastating passage of Hurricane Otis and promised that the city will be “on its feet” by Christmas.
Catastrophic losses in the city are estimated, according to the Fitch agency, at $16 billion dollars.
For the total reconstruction of Acapulco, the business chambers believe a period of 2 years and an investment of at least $17,000 million dollars is necessary.
López Obrador responds to criticism of his aid plan
The Mexican president commented that attention has been given primarily to citizens with fewer resources.
“We help everyone, but we have to support the poor people more, the people most in need, who are the majority, there are those who lost their homes, lost their furniture, they don’t have a stove, they don’t have a refrigerator, they don’t have beds.” , then it has to be to them first,” the president explained about his government’s plan.
However, he clarified that they have provided help to merchants: “Also in the census that is being carried out, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, small merchants, those who make a living with a small store, with the sale of clothing are being included. in the markets, in the tianguis (markets), those who had palapas (small businesses) on the beaches, even fishermen.”
Andrés Manuel López Obrador assured that “there is support for everyone” and that is why he commented that his government seeks to have insurers pay as soon as possible 40% of the damages suffered by more than 300 hotels, and that the Ministry of Finance will pay them half of the interest on the credits they take out for repairs.
He accused the opposition of being behind the criticism of his plan. “This has already been made clear, it was regrettable and a mistake on the part of our opponents to want to use the tragedy for political and electoral purposes,” he said.
Finally, he commented: “That is also why the questioning, the only thing that is not valid morally, ethically, is that the misfortune of the people, the suffering of the people, a tragedy like that of Acapulco, is used for political purposes, for political purposes. elections, to attack the government.”
The number of deaths in the state of Guerrero due to the passage of Hurricane Otis is established at 47 and the number of missing persons at 56.
Keep reading:
• Otis: The strongest hurricane “ever to hit the west coast of Mexico,” with gusts of 205 MPH
• Hurricane Otis: Mexico estimates investment of $3.4 billion dollars for repairs
• Police woman breastfed a baby affected in Acapulco who had not eaten for 24 hours: it went viral