From The Star Staff
Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez, the New Progressive Party’s minority leader in the House of Representatives, reached out to former Florida governor Sen. Rick Scott on Wednesday to convey his support and camaraderie as Hurricane Milton loomed, poised to strike Central Florida with significant force.
“Senator, representing our community, I would like to extend my heartfelt support and solidarity to you and all Florida residents as you prepare for the impending onslaught of Hurricane Milton,” stated Méndez. “We are acutely aware of the difficulties posed by natural disasters, and our thoughts and prayers are with you during these troubling times.”
“I believe in the strength and tenacity of the Floridian populace to navigate this challenge, and we are ready to provide any necessary assistance in the aftermath,” the former House speaker remarked. “May you be protected and safe.”
Approximately 195,000 Puerto Ricans live in the Orlando region and parts of Kissimmee in central Florida, including around 50,000 who relocated following Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Forecasts indicated that Milton would be moving east across central Florida after making landfall near Sarasota, south of Tampa, around midnight on Wednesday.
As the governor of Florida, Scott, a Republican, was among the first national leaders to visit Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. In the initial months following the storm, Méndez and Scott held several meetings on the island to address issues such as support for Puerto Ricans who relocated to Florida after the hurricane’s devastation, among various other matters.
Méndez also supported Scott in his campaign for a U.S. Senate seat, visiting the Kissimmee area in 2018.
