Latino families feel ignored by Mayor Karen Bass

Dozens of Latinos again protested Mayor Karen Bass, whom they accuse of ignoring their demand to receive them in person, and demanded that after more than two years of waiting, the city repair their homes destroyed by the explosion. by Los Angeles Police officers.

At dawn, protesters stood outside the gates of the Hancock Park mansion, where they waited in vain for Bass to come out to speak with them.

In numerous letters sent to Bass electronically or delivered in person to his office at City Hall, protesters have not received any concrete response from City Hall.

“There is no other way out. If they don’t fix our houses, we’ll end up living on the streets,” Leticia Ruiz, a toy saleswoman who lived at 2702 27th Street where the explosion occurred, said June 30. , 2021, shortly before 7 p.m.

“That day, in less than a minute, our lives changed forever,” added the woman, originally from Cuernavaca, Morelos, who had lived in the area in south-central Los Angeles for seven years. “Everything I had was destroyed.”

In the area of ​​27th and San Pedro streets, an LAPD bomb squad detonated nearly 40 pounds of the most explosive and dangerous illegal fireworks in the densely populated area.

About 5,000 pounds of fireworks were seized from Arturo Ceja III, who planned to resell the fireworks he brought from Nevada to California. In October 2022, he was sentenced to five months in federal prison.

In addition to injuring eight police officers and 18 civilians, the ATF agent caused structural damage to 22 homes, 13 businesses and 37 cars and trucks, according to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) report. ).

Suicidal thoughts
Attending the protest against Mayor Karen Bass were husband and wife Benjamin Sotelo, a Mexican, and Laura Bonilla of San Miguel, El Salvador, who complained of neglect by a government official since she took over as mayor.

“We want them to renovate the house we’ve lived in for years,” said Laura, who with her husband sold blankets, sheets, clothes and shoes and suffered financial losses exceeding $50,000.

“We stored the goods in boxes, but because of the sun and rain, everything was ruined,” Benjamin said. “The repairs they did were fake and the city had to fix it again, but it hasn’t been done yet.”

In addition, Laura Bonilla said that her son Victor, who turned 12 on the day of the protest, had thoughts of suicide because of the explosion and has been undergoing psychological therapy for six months.

“Why didn’t I die on the day of the explosion? It’s terrible to live in a hotel,” allegedly phrases that caused anxiety in the family.

“In the house where we lived, the children had bicycles and they went out on the patio to play, but in the hotel, although it is nice, it is not a home for a family,” Bonilla told La Opinión.

The 2021 fireworks explosion has displaced nearly a hundred people and left dozens unable to return to what was once their home.

Damage exceeded $1 million, and as of Sept. 20, a total of 13 families were still living in hotel rooms paid for by the city, according to Councilman Curren Price Jr.’s office. Los Angeles paid $4 million for the property.

“A variety of services have been offered to all affected victims, including financial support, psychological and social support, housing and home repairs,” 9th Ward Councilman Curren Price said in a statement sent to La Opinión. Jr.

“Councilmember Price has been actively involved from the beginning, committed to helping people and their families find a better path forward, whether that means returning to 27th Street or finding housing elsewhere,” the statement said.

Assistance offered to families still staying at the hotel includes the All Nations Community Center, HOPICS, Watt Labor Community Action Committee and OPC (Relocation Professionals).

The mayor’s silence
Mayor, listen. “We are in the fight!” – shouted protesters marching in front of Karen Bass’s house, adding: “What do we want? “Let them repair our houses!”

Led by Ron Goches of Unión del Barrio, they told La Opinion that a week ago they warned the mayor that they would demonstrate in front of her house if she did not respond to a request to meet with them.

“There is already too much disrespect for families,” the activist said. “It’s almost a mockery.”

Goches expressed regret that the residents of Bass were awakened at dawn by the noise of the demonstration.

“I hope you will understand and be aware of Mayor Bass’ inaction towards Latino families,” he said. “If they had planted a bomb in this area, they would have acted immediately.”
The activist and his family assured that they would not give up and would make all the necessary visits to the mansion where the mayor lives.

“She [Karen Bass] “You can hide in your offices, but not at home,” he said. “Families are fighting for what is right, and we are not asking them to fix their homes, but we are demanding it.”

Minerva Velazquez, who has lived on 27th Street for four decades with her husband Hilario and four children, said living in the hotel where she is sheltering in place is “stressful.”

“There is nothing better than a home where you can live comfortably and freely,” emphasized the 62-year-old woman from Puebla.

In fact, his daughter Nereid left the hotel where she was staying. He could not stand the administration’s threats that everyone would be thrown out onto the street.

“I don’t understand how Mayor Karen Bass doesn’t want to solve the problem of Latino families, but she didn’t hesitate one bit to give all police officers a 20% pay raise, including those responsible for the bombing,” Nereida Velazquez said.

Karen Bass’s office was asked about her reasons for not wanting to meet with Latino families in person, and her staff had not responded to La Opinión as of press time.