Decameron Baru, a professor at the Department of Political Science at the University of Puerto Rico, told Business Insider that the island is in the midst of a crisis.
“We are still living through a period of political, economic, social and environmental crises.
We are living in an unprecedented transition period and the most pressing thing is to prepare for the long term,” Baru said.”
We have a great deal of work ahead of us.
If we don’t act quickly, there will be many more disasters, including more and more human deaths.
In this new era, we have to prepare ourselves for the most critical moments and I think that’s what we are doing.”
Baru said the island needs a massive influx of resources, as well as more funding for health, education and infrastructure, as the island grapples with the impacts of Hurricane Maria.
The island has not been able to pay for the basics of life, such as food and water, for many people, and that’s creating problems, Baru added.
The governor of Puerto Vallarta, Alejandro García Padilla, told CNN in an interview that Puerto Rico needs to “build a bridge to the United States.”
He told CNN that he would like to see more help to be sent to the island, and he added that he “would prefer to see the money come to Puerto Rico.”
But he also told CNN: “We need to be prepared for the worst.
I am convinced that we are going to have a very difficult time.”
The governor also called for the US government to help Puerto Rico and the US territories with its recovery efforts.
Padilla said in the interview that the US Congress must provide more aid to the US territory, and the American people must also help with their recovery.
He also said that the Puerto Rican people have to “fight for their lives,” as he spoke to CNN.
“If they do not come to us and support them, then I will take my people with me,” he said.
Puerto Rico has been hit hard by Maria, which has killed more than 3,000 people and caused millions of dollars in damage.
At least two US territories have also been hit by Maria.
The territory of Guam has also been in the spotlight due to the storm.
On Monday, President Donald Trump said that Puerto Ricans should not be punished for the hurricanes they’ve suffered.
“Puertorico is one of the great states in the world,” Trump said in a statement, adding that the devastation is “unprecedented.”