The bombing hazards are compounded by a lack of medical services. There have been no Vieques childbirth facilities, for example, since 1985. The people of Vieques have a serious problem with the Navy, but we also have a serious problem with the government of Puerto Rico, Encarnaci n says. Until now they have never represented us. They take our money and nothing comes back.
Humans aren t the only ones under the gun.
Before the Navy arrived, the eastern end of Vieques consisted mostly of wetlands, and rare animal varieties thrived. It was easy for species to go from one side of the island to the other, naturalist Lirio M rquez says. Now much of the land, pocked with craters, evokes apocalyptic destruction. Contamination ranges from the spent uranium to the rusty remains of target vehicles. Miles of white-sand beaches are littered with shrapnel and shell casings.