“We have to get Acapulco back on its feet as soon as possible”: AMLO

During Friday’s morning press conference, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that the priority is to “get Acapulco, which was affected by hurricane ‘Otis’, back on its feet as soon as possible.

“We have to get Acapulco back on its feet as soon as possible. That is the plan, to help the people affected and at the same time to return to normality in terms of tourism in the beautiful port of Acapulco,” said the president.

AMLO communicated that measures will be established so that there will be no shortage of construction materials.

“Because a lot of construction material will be needed and we do not want speculation and excessive price increases. They will be needed for the reconstruction of hotels, and restaurants, but also for housing”, highlighted the President of Mexico.

Mr. Tabasco also announced that the Welfare Secretariat is in Acapulco to support the people affected by ‘Otis’, for which they are going to deliver 10 thousand packages of household appliances.

“We have 10,000 packages of household appliances to start with and we will acquire as many as necessary,” said López Obrador.

López Obrador pointed out that the household appliances will be delivered based on a census to be carried out by the Welfare Secretariat.

“Around one thousand promoters of the Welfare Secretariat have already arrived, one thousand servants of the nation, to start today the census, house by house, to support all the affected families, starting today they will start to go through the streets. Everything will be delivered directly, without intermediaries,” said AMLO.

The ruler of Mexico said that heavy vehicles are still not allowed to pass, despite the fact that circulation has been restored on the federal highway to Acapulco and there are sinkholes, while the streets are obstructed by poles, trees, and other objects.

The national president asked the population to maintain order and not to report robberies or looting.

“They should help us to maintain order, that they do not want to take advantage, that they always take or seek to take personal advantage, (…) that they have confidence that everyone will receive support,” said the Mexican president.

The President announced that this Friday businessmen will meet with eight Secretaries of State, authorities from the Treasury, SAT, Banxico, and Banobras, to create a strategy to support Acapulco’s tourism sector.

“They are going to meet today for a proposal of support for Acapulco’s tourism sector, there will be a review to find out which tourism companies have insurance, we are going to talk to insurance companies so that they do not delay the procedures”, expressed López Obrador.

He added that he will not be able to go to Acapulco, because as part of his work tour, he will have to be in the State of Mexico, which he had already scheduled.

For his part, the head of the National Defense Secretariat (Sedena), Luis Cresencio Sandoval, informed that the water supply in Acapulco is in a critical state, for which reason it is important that the service be re-established, as well as that of electricity and communications.

The Secretary of the Sedena assured that 375 communication bases have already been reestablished in Acapulco.