Mexican President Criticizes Detractors Following Deadly Hurricane, Reports Reuters

By Quetzalli Nicte-Ha and Jose Cortes

ACAPULCO, Mexico – The death toll from a devastating hurricane that struck the Mexican beach resort of Acapulco this week has risen to 39, according to a government report on Saturday. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has accused his opponents of exaggerating the extent of the disaster.

Hurricane Otis unleashed winds of 165 miles per hour (266 km/h) on Acapulco, resulting in severe flooding, uprooted roofs from homes, stores, and hotels, submerged vehicles, and disrupted communications, along with road and air connections.

Initially reporting 27 fatalities with four individuals unaccounted for, the government has not provided extensive details regarding the deceased and injured. Looting has persisted, and residents in severely impacted neighborhoods have criticized the administration for inadequate aid in securing food and water.

In a 24-minute video shared on social media, Lopez Obrador updated the nation on the situation while primarily targeting critics he accused of attempting to take advantage of the crisis ahead of next year’s presidential election. He stated, "They circle like vultures; they don’t care about people’s pain; they want to hurt us, for there to have been lots of deaths."

Lopez Obrador asserted that media reports were inflating the casualty figures, emphasizing that Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez would provide an honest update on the casualties. "Let her tell us … how many people have really lost their lives so far," he remarked, claiming his administration was doing more than any previous government in responding to the crisis.

Rodriguez indicated that most victims were believed to have drowned due to the storm and that ten people were still unaccounted for. On Saturday afternoon, rescue teams searched Acapulco Bay using inflatable boats, returning with three bodies wrapped in black bags for documentation.

Some officials have privately expressed concern that the death toll may continue to rise. According to government reports, the deceased included 29 men and 10 women from Guerrero, the state where Acapulco is located. The hurricane has reportedly affected more than 220,000 homes and damaged approximately 80% of the hotel sector, leaving over 513,000 people without power.

In the Renacimiento neighborhood, residents navigated flooded streets filled with murky water, expressing frustration over the scarcity of assistance. "The government hasn’t given us any help, not even hope," lamented Apolonio Maldonado, showing deep red cuts on his shins. "They haven’t provided us with food or even mattresses."

Martha Villanueva, another resident, struggled through the flood as she spoke tearfully, saying, "We want help. We lost everything in the water."

The devastation caused by Otis is estimated to be in the billions of dollars, prompting the mobilization of over 8,000 armed forces personnel to assist in recovery efforts.

Mexican authorities have described Otis as the most powerful storm to ever strike Mexico’s Pacific coast, noting that it intensified unexpectedly before making landfall, exceeding initial forecasts.