WATCH: 7 questions for Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello
NEW YORK (WABC) -- More help is on the way to Puerto Rico as the island struggles to recover months after being hit by Hurricane Maria -- and Eyewitness News will be there to bring you updates.
Eyewitness News Reporter Joe Torres will travel to Puerto Rico for Gov. Andrew Cuomo's visit this weekend.
New York's governor announced the state is sending more help following an island-wide blackout last week.
Ahead of the trip, Torres spoke with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello during a trip to NYC on Wednesday to rally political support for the island.
The storm devastated the territory and many Puerto Ricans left the island and settled on the mainland.
Now that many Puerto Ricans are living in New York, they are looking to make their voices heard in this fall's midterm election. Rossello has one major plea for them: register to vote.
To help develop that structure, Rossello has launched a web-driven, non-partisan movement called "Poder," which means power. And with 5.6 million Puerto Ricans now scattered across all 50 states, they collectively have political power at the ballot box.
"As you know, Puerto Ricans in the island don't have the right to vote, we are a colonial territory," Rossello said. "And the Puerto Ricans over here haven't formed a structure that allows us to put Puerto Rico first and get those policies and those values."
Aside from power and politics, Rossello still faces a colossal fiscal crisis and an island-wide storm recovery effort. Here's what he says he needs from the federal government:
--Less bureaucracy from FEMA
--More accessibility to federal dollars assigned to Puerto Rico's recovery
--Some special consideration for those who left the island but may want to return
Check out the extended interview with Rossello in the video player above.
Make sure to watch Joe Torres' reports from the island beginning Sunday evening on Eyewitness News.
WATCH: Crisis in Puerto Rico (from Sept. 2017)
----------
