Joe Biden Says He Was Raised in 'Puerto Rican Community at Home, Politically' While Doing Rounds at Puerto Rico After Hurricane Fiona
U.S. President Joe Biden visited Puerto Rico to survey what the land needs after being hit by Hurricane Fiona.
Fox News reported that during his visit, the president went as far as to claim that he was raised in the "Puerto Rican community at home, politically."
He added that he came to Puerto Rico for a long time "as part of both business and pleasure," noting that he is committed to the island.
Many had taken offense to the president's claims, particularly on the social media platform Twitter.
Commentator on energy and politics, Dan K. Ebert, called out the president and said that he was not raised in a Puerto Rican community. Ebert added in a tweet that if former U.S. President Donald Trump had said that, "the media would be crying racism."
Conservative politician, Mariela Roca, cited the incident wherein First Lady Jill Biden likened the Hispanics to tacos, and Nancy Pelosi said that they need "crop pickers in the south." Roca then tweeted as to why "the left is so thirsty" for the Latino population.
U.S. President Joe Biden in Puerto Rico
Biden and his first lady finished a three-hour visit to Puerto Rico on Monday evening after being hit by Hurricane Fiona.
The hurricane-ravaged community of around 200 families, Central Mercedita, has not had electricity since September 18. An island-wide blackout was reported an hour before Fiona's eye entered the southwestern coast.
Central Mercedita's community leader, Gerardo Manuel Robles, said families are spending $30 to $50 daily to buy fuel to power their generators, as reported by NBC News.
Biden said during his visit that the community deserves "every bit of help" the country can give the island. The president added that he is determined to do that.
The Bidens then visit Sor Isolina Ferre relief center in Ponce, where they briefly met with community leaders and families affected.
Puerto Rico After Hurricane Fiona
President Joe Biden announced more than $60 million in funding to help coastal areas to rebuild and better prepare for a severe storm, according to an NPR report.
He noted in his speech to rebuild damaged properties in a "resilient way" so when storms come again, they will not be causing the same kind of damage that they have caused before.
Hurricane Fiona landed on Puerto Rico on September 18 as a Category 1 storm, delivering over 30 inches of rain. The hurricane also destroyed roads and killed at least 13 people.
In addition, there were over 1,000 federal response workers on the ground in Puerto Rico.
A budget of $8 million was dedicated by the U.S. Department of Transportation, targeted to repair bridges and roadways.
Five years before, Puerto Rico was also hit by Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm. It was the worst storm in the island's modern history, killing around 3,000 people and causing more than $100 billion in damage.
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Written by: Mary Webber
WATCH: Biden visits Puerto Rico, announces more than $60M in aid - from ABC News