Why Is María’s Death Toll in Puerto Rico Being Underreported?

Oct 1, 2017
5:59 PM

The Puerto Rican government says the official death toll from Hurricane María is at 16, but reports from the island contradict that number, and a new story from the Center for Investigative Journalism (CPI) published news of deaths that the government has not formally acknowledged. Why?

Our host, Julio Ricardo Varela, talks with Omaya Sosa Pascual, the CPI journalist who broke the story about the death toll. Omaya explains what she found and what else she will be publishing this week. Julio and Omaya also discuss why the current CBS News story about the island’s death toll didn’t dig deep enough.

Featured image: Nilka Fontánez, whose father is bedridden at the Pavía Hospital in Santurce (Photo by Omaya Sosa Pascual)

Here are the links we shared in the show:

CPI’s original story

Los Angeles Times

David Begnaud interview

MSNBC appearance