Biden arrives in Hawaii to a grieving and bitter crowd

“We’re with you, as long as it takes, I promise”: Joe Biden lost his costume as the “comforter in chief” on Monday, August 21, in a catastrophic fire on the island of Maui, Hawaii.

The central government will support the reconstruction efforts “Make sure your voices are heard and your traditions are respected”The US president gave assurances, while the authorities’ response to the disaster drew a lot of criticism. “Let’s Rebuild the Way the People of Maui Wanted”, he stressed, while local residents are worried about the acquisition of land on the island by developers who want to build expensive residences there. The 80-year-old Democrat, who gave a short speech near an iconic centennial tree in Lahaina, the former capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, wanted to see a symbol there: “Fire can’t reach its roots. This is Maui. That’s America.”

At the same time The balance sheet of the disaster, 114 people died today, and may increase, Joe Biden, often in such cases, called the personal experience of grief. Having lost his first wife and their infant daughter in a road accident in 1972, he declared: “I know that feeling of many people in this city, that feeling of emptiness in your chest, sucking you in like a black hole.” Joe Biden, along with his wife Jill Biden, flew over the devastated areas in a helicopter. He will also meet with family, rescue workers and local authorities.

“no comment”

The US president, who has made compassion his big political code, has been criticized by the Republican opposition for not talking publicly enough about the disaster, especially where the numbers have grown significantly. On Maui, as his convoy passed burned homes, some residents held signs supporting former President Donald Trump or insulting the Democratic president.

In recent days, Joe Biden has multiplied promises of support and federal aid. The White House insists it took an hour to declare a major natural disaster in Hawaii on August 10, at the request of local officials. Democrats have also appointed a federal coordinator for the overhaul, which promises to be titanic.

A thousand people are missing

A thousand people have yet to be found, some of whom could add to the death toll from fires that have already occurred in the United States for more than a century. The response from local officials has fueled anger in Hawaii. The president’s visit comes days after the head of Maui’s crisis management organization resigned after being accused of failing to sound warning sirens. Some of the shocked residents jumped into the sea to escape the fire.

“Would I have liked the sirens going off? Sure.”Gov. Josh Green said Sunday, explaining that they are not “historically” Not used for fires, but used for tsunamis and hurricanes. About 85% of the affected area is covered “An Army” Rescue workers and sniffer dogs were searching the wreckage for bodies, Josh Green said Sunday.