The “model didn’t work” for hurricane relief in Puerto Rico because the government itself “is a victim of the storm,” but now the “bickering” should stop over the pace of federal aid, Sen. Marco Rubio said Sunday.
In an interview on CBS News’ “Face The Nation,” the Florida Republican said the federal government “responded… no different than [in] Texas or Florida in terms of the assets.”
“In the case of Puerto Rico, [the federal government told] the territorial government ‘we're here to help, tell us what you need,’” he explained. “That model generally works, it's worked in Florida a couple of weeks ago, helped in Texas. It didn't work in Puerto Rico.
“The reason why it didn't work [is] because the government of Puerto Rico itself is a victim of the storm. There are 78 municipalities, some of those mayors themselves couldn't communicate with San Juan and even if they could, and even if you could get to them deliver aid, they didn't have enough municipal employees to be able to deliver the aid…”
He was critical, however, of the war of words between San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz and President Donald Trump about the pace of aid.
“Every minute we spend in the political realm bickering with one another over who is right or wrong or didn't do right is a minute of energy and time we're not spending trying to get the response right,” he said.
Rubio also speculated that the U.S. decision to drawn down its staff in Cuba after 21 people were struck with mysterious illnesses will be followed by a requirement that Cuba follow suit.
“I think it is fair … for us to require a proportional draw down of the Cuban embassy and the Cuban diplomatic presence in the United States,” he said. “That's what I expect they will do."
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