President Emmanuel Macron held a heated exchange with residents of Mayotte, a French department in the Indian Ocean. The President went to the area to assess the damage caused by the cyclone that hit the area last Saturday. The assembled crowd did not accept it enthusiastically.
“I resign!” – shouted Mayotte residents, whom the French president met on Thursday night. President Emmanuel Macron's visit was highly emotional, with local communities complaining of lack of food, water and electricity in the wake of the disaster.
Mayotte. President Emmanuel Macron visits residents, including abusive language
The French head of state visited Mayotte for two days. The President visited the areas devastated by the cyclone and spoke to the victims. At one meeting, an altercation broke out with residents, many of whom whistled at Mr. Macron and pointed out the lack of aid from France.
At one point, the president himself got carried away by his emotions. – Don't turn people against each other. If you continue this, we will go to France…because you are happy to be part of France. If France wasn't here, you'd be in for a heck of a lot…10,000. More than twice as much – he insisted.
See also: Cyclone Chido hits Mayotte Islands. “The scariest few hours”
– Is there anyone else in the region who is providing water, supplies and nurses like we are? – Macron was furious.
The French president's words provoked the anger of some politicians in Paris. “Macron has humiliated the relatives of thousands of victims,” Alma Dufour, a lawmaker from the far-left party La France Insemeise, said on social media.
Devastating impact of Cyclone Chido
Cyclone Chido, which hit the island of Mayotte last Saturday, was deadly. At least 31 people were confirmed to have lost their lives. We already know this is not the end.
See: French Tragedy. He killed five people and turned himself in to the police.
As Euronews points out, some say the number of victims could be in the hundreds or even thousands. Many people are still missing. The disaster also caused significant losses to infrastructure. Many residents lost access to electricity and drinking water.
After a helicopter flight over the archipelago, President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday was a day he would never forget. He also vowed to rebuild dilapidated infrastructure and build new housing.
read more
Source link
