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Ted Cruz Travels to Cancun, Mexico as Millions Deal with Historic Winter Storm
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz confirmed that he had gone to Cancun, Mexico, with his family as winter mayhem tears through Texas, causing power outages and leaving millions without water.
In a statement, Cruz said he flew to Cancun for a night. He said his daughters asked to go on a trip with friends.
The senator also added that he is in constant communication with state and local officials in Texas. He's working with leaders to analyze what happened in Texas. He also mentioned that he and his team will continue “to keep Texans informed and safe.”
According to one of the senator’s aides, Cruz tested negative for the coronavirus prior to returning to the U.S.
The senator’s statement comes after photos of Cruz and his family at Houston airport and of them aboard a flight to Mexico surfaced on Twitter.
Cruz Slammed For Cancun Trip
This was immediately criticized by many people who saw it online.
One of the people who slammed Cruz for the trip is Texas state Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston). Wu reposted the image of Cruz and said that the senator flew to Cancun while the rest of Texas was “freezing to death and having to boil water.”
Additionally, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo confirmed that the senator’s office asked the Houston Police Department for help during his departure from the airport, as per CNN. This request is not unusual, coming from Cruz’s office. Those serving in Congress had been advised to look for police aid when they travel by air.
Amid all the criticisms regarding the trip, Cruz, apart from reposting announcements by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, has remained silent on social media.
On Monday, the senator had a radio interview, and in it, he urged people to “stay home” amid the bad weather.
Since Cruz is elated to a federal office, the senator technically does not have a direct role in helping the Texas government respond to the onslaught of the winter storm. However, in natural crises such as this, many constituents try to reach out to their elected officials, looking for help and resources.
Texas has been experiencing electric outages since the weather turned dangerous. Many place the blame on the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) for this.
On Wednesday afternoon, Abbot revealed that an investigation on ERCOT will start next week.
Currently, many of those living in Texas still have no power or running water amid the gruesome snowstorm. However, power is gradually being restored to homes.
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