SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The head of Puerto Rico's emergency management office was fired Saturday by the island's governor after unused emergency aid supplies were found in a warehouse.
- Bottled water, food, diapers, cots, found in warehouse
- Some supplies are thought to have been there since 2017
- Island's governor fired emergency management official
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The warehouse was located in the city of Ponce, a part of the island badly damaged by earthquakes in recent weeks.
The warehouse was filled with supplies and drinking water. Officials think some of the supplies have been there since Hurricane Maria crippled the island two years ago.
The discovery has sparked outrage on the island.
Video taken from the warehouse shows residents working to get inside the building to access the supplies. Pallets of water in the large warehouse sat stacked neatly inside as residents took photos and video of what they saw.
Puerto Rican Gov. Wanda Vazquez Garced fired Carlos Acevedo, the head of the island's emergency management agency. He has denied allegations of mishandling, saying the agency has been actively distributing supplies and that no residents have been denied any supplies from that warehouse, including food, diapers, baby formula and cots.
"There are thousands of people who made sacrifices to bring aid to the south and it's unforgiveable that resources have been kept in a warehouse," Vazquez said in a statement.
Seguiré tomando las acciones afirmativas que correspondan con firmeza, poniendo siempre el bienestar del pueblo primero. Quien no pueda cumplir con estos estándares de transparencia y diligencia; NO tendrá espacio en el gobierno.
— Wanda Vázquez Garced (@wandavazquezg) January 19, 2020
She ordered an immediate investigation.
Conforme a mi petición, se ha ordenado a agentes del NIE realizar la investigación sobre las alegaciones en el manejo de suministros en un almacén del sur. Dicha investigación deberá estar lista con hallazgos y recomendaciones en 48 horas.
— Wanda Vázquez Garced (@wandavazquezg) January 18, 2020
The adjutant general of Puerto Rico's National Guard, José Reyes, has been appointed to serve as the new emergency management director.
Florida-based relief group furious over unused supplies
Leaders with the Orlando-area group Latino Leadership, which assisted Puerto Ricans after Hurricane Maria, said they were furious when they heard about the unused supplies.
“I got furious, and I was in tears, tears because we know the need that all these families have been having,” said Latino Leadership President Marytza Sanz said Sunday.
Sanz thinks the government is to blame for those some of the problems they are facing. She says those were valuable supplies that could have helped after Maria.
“People are still suffering. People still have blue tents over their roofs,” Sanz said.
With the earthquakes, thousands have been living outdoors, too afraid to return to their homes for fear that a wall or roof will collapse.
Sanz’s organization has collected supplies and on Tuesday plans to head to Ponce and other areas affected by earthquakes. The group has mattresses, tarps, clothes, diapers, and tents.
Latino Leadership works with a nonprofit in Puerto Rico to deliver supplies. They hope to help around 3,000 families.
“We... are going to be responsible (to make sure) this is going direct to those that need it,” Sanz said.