Journalist Jose Vega calling out 13th district Congressperson Adriano Espaillat. File photo.
US citizens interrupt the speech of congressmen to reject the enormous financial aid from Washington to Kiev, while Americans starve.
This past Monday, Congresspersons Adriano Espaillat, Charles Ellis Schumer, and Kirsten Gillibrand participated in a Columbia University Forum to offer an annual report on the state of the district when the were interrupted by advocates for the New York community. Demonstrators spoke up to condemn Washington’s seemingly limitless support for Ukraine while the NY community, and citizens across the US, suffer from rising poverty, homelessness, and drug overdoses.
“A hundred million dollars for Ukraine, correct? A lot of money for Ukraine, but what happened to Harlem?” asked journalist JosĂ© Vega, blaming Congressman Schumer for “the death of many people due to open air drug trafficking.” He continued: “you are responsible for the death of thousands of people here in Harlem. There is a housing crisis, a homeless crisis and they have not done anything.”
My Friends @Noggatone, @RTSG_pestomime & I confronted @RepEspaillat, @SenSchumer, @SenGillibrand, at the "State of the District" Forum. We challenged them on their Ukrainian war funding, while overdose rates increase along with their intentional destruction of poor neighborhoods. pic.twitter.com/WkqfM7mjdj
— Jose Vega — Vote Vega & Sare! (@JosBtrigga) January 30, 2023
The journalist charged the US administration for bringing the United States “to the brink of World War III with Russia” and worsening the crisis in Ukraine.
Another protester lamented that the US instead of opting for dialogue and diplomatic as a means to reduce tension with Russia is only adding gasoline to the fire to the conflict in Ukraine.
“Mr. Congressman, when are you going to tell the people in your district that Germany has just declared war, along with NATO, on Russia? When are you going to seek diplomacy with Russia?” he asked, qualifying that seeking “peace with Russia” would be in the best interest of the American nation.
A third citizen unhappy with Washington’s policies demanded explanations for the large amounts of money going to Ukraine in comparison to the budget allocated locally.
“I’m sick of all my tax money being sent to Ukraine,” he charged, “They give $40 billion to Ukraine, but they only give $20 billion to New Yorkers? ”
Since the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2021, the US has allocated billions of dollars for weapons and financial assistance to Kiev.
For their part, the Kremlin asserts that Western countries are putting their own security at risk by adding fuel to the fire of the conflict.
(HispanTV)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/FV/SL
