A woman who identified herself as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) aunt, outside of the representative’s grandmother’s home in Puerto Rico, refused to blame former President Trump’s administration for the lack of aid in Puerto Rico, according to a report from the Daily Mail.
According to the outlet, which tracked down the congresswoman’s 81-year-old grandmother’s home, a woman outside of the home identified herself as the Democrat’s aunt adding, “We don’t speak for the community.”
“We are private people, we don’t talk about our family,” the woman told the outlet, which added, “Ironically for AOC, she also refused to blame former President Donald Trump for thousands of Hurricane Maria victims being unable to get money to repair shattered homes.”
“In this area people need a lot of help. Many people have needed it for the past four years and haven’t had anything,” she said.
“It’s a problem here in Puerto Rico with the administration and the distribution of help. It is not a problem with Washington. We had the assistance and it didn’t get to the people,” she continued.
The outlet’s conversation with Ocasio-Cortez’s aunt follows the New York Democrat’s controversial tweet earlier this month, which contained images of her abuela’s home.
“Just over a week ago, my abuela fell ill. I went to Puerto Rico to see her- my 1st time in a year+ bc of COVID,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote in the June 2 tweet. “This is her home. Hurricane María relief hasn’t arrived. Trump blocked relief $ for PR.”
“People are being forced to flee ancestral homes, & developers are taking them,” she added:
We immediately got to work reaching out to community advocates and leaders and following the money.
What’s happening to Puerto Ricans is systemic. Much of it can be traced to La Junta, aka the Wall Street-connected fiscal control board that the US gave power to over the island.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 2, 2021
Some were quick to point out what others have described as her seemingly lavish lifestyle.
“Honey, you drive a Tesla and have two apartments. If your grandmother is living poor that’s because you don’t help her out,” Florida Republican congressional candidate Lavern Spicer remarked. “I’m surprised that a socialist wouldn’t redistribute that wealth to their grandma. Sad!”:
Honey, you drive a Tesla and have two apartments. If your grandmother is living poor that’s because you don’t help her out. I’m surprised that a socialist wouldn’t redistribute that wealth to their grandma. Sad!
— Lavern Spicer (@lavern_spicer) June 2, 2021
Daily Wire columnist Matt Walsh responded, writing, “Shameful that you live in luxury while allowing your own grandmother to suffer in these squalid conditions.”
“You don’t even have a concept for the role that 1st-gen, first-born daughters play in their families. My abuela is okay. But instead of only caring for mine & letting others suffer, I’m calling attention to the systemic injustices you seem totally fine w/ in having a US colony,” Ocasio-Cortez responded:
You don’t even have a concept for the role that 1st-gen, first-born daughters play in their families.
My abuela is okay. But instead of only caring for mine & letting others suffer, I’m calling attention to the systemic injustices you seem totally fine w/ in having a US colony. https://t.co/QN0ZVoyDt2
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 2, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez later added “I want to be clear – while Trump admin had a major role, it wasn’t just them” and said her abuela is “doing okay”:
And for the record – my abuela is doing okay. It’s not about us, but about what’s happening to Puerto Rican’s across the island.
She had a place to go to and be cared for – what about the thousands of people who don’t?
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 2, 2021
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