World News | Kamala Harris Marks First Visit to Puerto Rico as Vice President, Riling Some in the US Territory
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Puerto Rico on Friday as part of a whirlwind trip to tout the federal aid the U.S. territory has received following deadly hurricanes and attend a Democratic fundraiser.
San Juan (Puerto Rico), Mar 22 (AP) U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Puerto Rico on Friday as part of a whirlwind trip to tout the federal aid the U.S. territory has received following deadly hurricanes and attend a Democratic fundraiser.
Her visit comes days after U.S. President Joe Biden launched a campaign targeting Latino voters ahead of the November general elections. While those in Puerto Rico cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections despite being U.S. citizens, more than 5 million Puerto Ricans live in the U.S. mainland.
Accompanying Harris for the roughly five-hour visit to the island was U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Department of Housing and Urban Development Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman. Welcoming them was Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, a Democrat whose New Progressive Party has long pushed for statehood.
Hours before Harris' arrival, a couple dozen protesters gathered in Puerto Rico's capital to decry the island's territorial status and demand a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.
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“We find her presence disrespectful,” said Joselyn Velázquez, protest spokeswoman, as a group around her waved Palestinian flags.
Nearby, one demonstrator stood on a U.S. flag while others gathered additional U.S. flags and set them on fire.
“She is not welcome here,” said one protester.
Harris was scheduled to visit a home in the northern municipality of Canovanas, located near the capital, as well as visit a community center in San Juan. She also is slated to address a campaign reception before flying back to the U.S. mainland Friday evening.
It is Harris' first visit to Puerto Rico as vice president, having visited as a U.S. senator in 2017 after devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria pummeled the island. (AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)