Puerto Rico Governor Fires Emergency Director After Aid Is Found Sitting In Warehouse

Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced fired the island’s emergency management director on Saturday, after a video showing aid sitting unused in a warehouse went viral on social media. Some of the aid has allegedly been sitting in the warehouse since Hurricane Maria struck in 2017.

“There are thousands of people who have made sacrifices to help those in the south, and it is unforgivable that resources were kept in the warehouse,” Vázquez said in a statement.

Garced said in a statement that she has ordered Secretary of State Elmer Roman to conduct a “thorough investigation into the mishandling of emergency aid in a warehouse in Ponce,” CBS News correspondent David Begnaud reports.

“I have given 48 hours for this investigation. The investigation is to include this warehouse and any others which may exist,” her statement read. “In the same vein, I have decided to relieve Carlos Acevedo of his duties as the commissioner of the National Emergency Management and Disaster Relief Agency.”

Vázquez said she would nominate the current Puerto Rican National Guard chief for Senate consideration to replace Acevedo.

Earlier on Saturday, Acevedo said it was “insane” to imply the aid was mishandled.

Bison Scalded to Death in Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring

Trump reacts to Tillis not seeking re-election, sends warning to ‘cost cutting Republicans’

Tillis’ retirement announcement draws reactions from Trump critic Jeff Flake, Bernie Sanders: ‘A cult’

Chick-fil-A Forced to Respond to Rumors About Massive Restaurant Change

Iranian uranium enrichment could resume in months, UN nuclear chief says

Republican veteran Tony Sabio running to flip congressional seat in Virginia

Curtis Sliwa vows to stay in NYC mayoral race as donors plot to stop Mamdani

SCOOP: House Republican eyes bid for Thom Tillis Senate seat after Trump attack

Missing Toothbrush Found 52 Years Later After Man Feels Strange Sensation

Jeffries gives answer for not yet endorsing Mamdani for NYC mayor

Far-Left Socialist Influencer Forced to Block His Own Son on Social Media

Trump says Iranians moved themselves, not uranium, before US strikes: ‘Trying to live’

Tragedy After Tragedy: Murdered Minnesota Lawmakers’ Dog Also Shot

Biden breakdown: Tracking the investigations into the former president

Elon Musk Fires His ‘Fixer’ As Problems Continue to Mount Post-DOGE: Report

Acevedo said in a statement that after the earthquake, the warehouse had been inspected by a structural engineer who “recommended emptying it due to the damage suffered after the event.” According to Acevedo, the Fire Department Bureau removed and distributed aid from the warehouse to those affected by the earthquakes.

“There are still pallets of food, water, diapers, and baby formula, cots and awnings in the warehouse. At no time has it been ordered to seize or destroy those items,” reads his statement.

“It is of utmost importance to emphasize that no citizen has been denied any of the items stored at the warehouse,” he said. “At the moment there is no shortage of any of these articles and they are being distributed to the people who need it, this may be corroborated in the shelters and base camps.”

“The citizen who entered the property today, and shared the images on social networks, violated the security perimeter, which in turn, represented a risk for him. For this reason he was instructed to leave the area. Any personnel entering that structure, which is compromised, requires specific security measures to ensure their safety.”

A warehouse of supplies was discovered today in Ponce, Puerto Rico by a man who did a Facebook live showing people what's inside. The video went viral & the govt responded, defensively.
Here's what we know & don't know, as of now.
Here's the Facebook live: https://t.co/mj7lkgpuDW pic.twitter.com/aSzSvPy6pl

— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) January 18, 2020