近來，美國南部得克薩斯州遭遇強烈冬季風暴，不少民眾斷水斷電陷入困境。然而，得州共和黨籍國會參議員特德•克魯茲卻在此時離開得州，攜家人前往墨西哥坎昆度假。
社交媒體上有照片顯示，克魯茲面戴口罩、拖著行李箱，在休斯敦登上飛機。同行航班乘客也拍到了他的照片。
One photo on social media showed Ted Cruz wearing a mask and pulling carry-on luggage as he boarded a plane in Houston. People on the flight also took photos of Cruz and put them on social media.
這些照片引發(fā)軒然大波，民眾質(zhì)疑當?shù)弥菹萑胛C時，他怎么能就此離開。一天之后，面對民眾呼聲，克魯茲乘飛機回到了休斯敦。
Photos of the Republican lawmaker on Wednesday fuelled outrage at how he had left Texas during a crisis. On Thursday, after the trip drew widespread ridicule and outrage on social media, Cruz was on a plane to return to Houston.
克魯茲發(fā)表聲明稱，去坎昆并非是為了度假，而是為了陪伴兩個女兒和她們的朋友，“當個好爸爸”。他決定“前一天晚上陪同她們?nèi)ィ裉煜挛缇惋w回來”。 “工作人員和我一直與得州及當?shù)刎撠熑吮３致?lián)絡，了解情況。我們希望可以恢復電力、飲水和供暖。”
He issued a statement explaining that he wasn't on a vacation for himself in Cancun, but chaperoning his daughters, ages 12 and 10, and their friends on the flight. "Wanting to be a good dad," Cruz said, he decided to fly "with them last night and am flying back this afternoon". “My staff and I are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas,” he continued. “We want our power back, our water on, and our homes warm.”
路透社以一個民主黨政治團體獲取的短消息為來源報道稱，克魯茲的妻子海迪曾經(jīng)邀請鄰居同行，寫道“有人能或者想出去過這周嗎？”她提及坎昆的豪華酒店麗思卡爾頓酒店一晚房費“309美元不含稅”。
In text messages obtained by American Bridge, a Democratic political group, Cruz’s wife Heidi asked neighbors whether they wanted to accompany the family to Cancun.“Anyone can or want to leave for the week?” she wrote, noting that rooms at the city’s Ritz Carlton cost “$309 plus tax.”
《紐約時報》的報道則指出，這些信息給出了克魯茲“政治錯誤”的細節(jié)。逃離受災的得州，讓克魯茲備受指摘，妻子的短信顯示，他們匆忙制定旅行計劃，逃離“寒冷的家”。
在《紐約時報》評論區(qū)，讀者批評克魯茲“臨陣脫逃”；得州天寒地凍，自己卻跑到了溫暖的度假勝地：“這不是得州精神所在”。網(wǎng)友還質(zhì)疑得州私有化能源行業(yè)政策以及相關部門救災不力。
值得注意的是，克魯茲曾于上周一對得克薩斯州民眾表示：“這一周內(nèi)，我們可能會看到上百人在得州失去生命，所以不要冒險，為了家人安全，請留在家中，擁抱你的孩子。”
Last Monday, Cruz said to Texans, "We could see up to a hundred people lose their lives this week in Texas, so don't risk it, keep your family safe, and just stay home and hug your kids."
盡管沒有為這次旅行道歉，但是在隨后ABC13臺的采訪中，克魯茲稱此舉是“一個錯誤”。
Cruz did not apologise for making the trip amid the state of emergency in Texas, but in a later interview with broadcaster ABC13, he said it was "a mistake".
“很明顯這是個錯誤，事后想想，我不該去。我只是想當好爸爸。”
“It was obviously a mistake, and in hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it. I was trying to be a Dad.” he said.
克魯茲在推特上轉發(fā)了媒體的相關報道。
據(jù)美聯(lián)社報道，盡管當前局勢對克魯茲的政治生涯沒有好處，但也不會立刻對他產(chǎn)生危害。他現(xiàn)在的任期要到2025年初，而共和黨候選人的非官方初選要到兩年后才會開啟。
While the situation will not help Cruz’s political future, the two-term senator is not in any immediate political danger. His current term expires in early 2025, and the unofficial beginning of the next Republican presidential primary election is two years away.
此外，克魯茲的辦公室暫時沒有回應他返回得州后是否會自我隔離。美國疾病控制和預防中心建議，有旅行史的人返回當?shù)睾?至5天接受新冠病毒檢測，無論檢測結果如何，都要隔離一周。
Cruz’s office did not immediately say whether the senator would self-quarantine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people who have traveled during the pandemic to get a coronavirus test three to five days after their return and to quarantine for a full week, regardless of the test results.
綜合來源：新華網(wǎng)，美聯(lián)社，CNN，BBC，CGTN，China Daily微信公眾號
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