The Streets Are ‘Not Safe’: Puerto Rico Begs U.S. for Help

The Streets Are ‘Not Safe’: Puerto Rico Begs U.S. for Help

The island is not just trying to recover, it’s trying to reconnect with the rest of the world. The situation is disastrous and they are begging for more help.

Pablo Venes

09.24.17 9:03 PM ET

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—On this American island still suffering terribly from mighty Hurricane Maria’s devastating impact, the feeling of despair and anxiety is now mixed with fear at night, when looters rule the streets.

Hector Velez owns one of the seven gas station near San German, a municipality on the southwest part of the island. Half of the rooftop of his gas station was stripped away by Hurricane Maria but the storm didn’t cause most of damage he now has to deal with.

“Why would they do that to me? Everyone knows me around here. I’ve always been nice to my clients,” Velez told The Daily Beast as he looked at shattered windows and emptied food racks.

After seeing all the damage his station suffered from looters, Velez decided not to open, punishing everyone in the community, many of whom were looking desperately for gas.

“It breaks my heart, but I need to be calm about this. I can’t believe how people are so harsh. Is this nobody’s land now?” Velez wondered, and estimated that he will have to invest about $17,000 to reopen.

Another business owner who is fed up with the authorities, or the lack of them, is Marcelo Feliciano, who witnessed the looting of his restaurant.

“Since the [CCTV] cameras are not working, I come by often, and yesterday I caught them,” Feliciano said.