‘Pockets March’ to LUMA’s regional offices called for this morning
By The Star Staff
Cayey Mayor Rolando Ortiz Velázquez is calling on citizens from across Puerto Rico to join the ‘Pockets March’ and go to all regional offices of LUMA Energy today starting at 7 a.m. to express their indignation.
“Pockets” are areas without electrical service that are surrounded by areas where most of the power has been restored.
“We will not move from those offices until the consortium’s management agrees with the mayors on a fair, non-discriminatory, and uniform plan for the recovery of Puerto Rico,” the mayor said. “It is a criminal act that LUMA Energy is doing with the communities of Puerto Rico. The demonstration of indignation is for all the communities in pockets without light, and for the broken pockets of the humble and needy people who continue spending money on fuel for [home generation] plants, batteries for flashlights, and ice to keep medicines at the right temperature.”
Ortiz Velázquez accused LUMA Energy officials of “shamelessly lying to the entire country with alleged percentages of energization.”
“No one believes these figures of over 90%,” he said. “That is why this manipulative, lying and cowardly management must be confronted. They send a poor engineer to give false figures while the top management hides; this country has to be respected, and this Friday is the day!”
At the moment, LUMA Energy has, according to its website, 25 regional offices throughout Puerto Rico.
“Those who fortunately have power, it is time to be in solidarity with neighbors, friends, or relatives in the dark,” Ortiz Velázquez. “This is not the time for divisions but to unite as a people against a mogul who has no interest in the good of Puerto Rico. It has been proven that they only came to squeeze the pockets of all of us. We will all take to the streets this Friday.”