The head of Puerto Rico’s emergency management agency is out of a job Sunday after residents of Ponce, one of cities hardest hit by the earthquakes that ravaged the island late last month, discovered a locked warehouse stuffed to the brim with emergency supplies delivered to help those affected by Hurricane Maria more than two years ago.
One resident of Ponce posted a video of the discovery to Facebook, showing a massive warehouse full of pallets upon pallets of bottled water, non-perishable food, diapers, baby formula, and emergency supplies, according to CNN. The video is now private, after the man who recorded it was threatened with repercussions from law enforcement, but the news network says the warehouse contained much-needed supplies that are still useful (and valuable) particularly now that Ponce is suffering from a second natural disaster.
The supplies were apparently delivered as part of a Hurricane Maria relief effort, back in June of 2018, and never distributed, though the (now former) head of Puerto Rico’s emergency management office says he was never instructed to give out the supplies, and then insisted, to media, that residents had full access to all items.
The governor of Puerto Rico, apparently, did not believe him.
“Carlos Acevedo, director of Puerto Rico’s Office of Emergency Management, was dismissed Saturday,” CNN says. “The governor appointed Maj. Gen. José J. Reyes, the adjutant general of the Puerto Rico National Guard, to replace him.” – READ MORE