Disaster Relief Central America

Maria Corina Artola has never been wealthy or even financially comfortable. But Friday, she was the poorest she has ever been. Little by little over the years, she had established herself as a street vendor, earning enough to support her four children in a shack along an open sewer. That was until tropical storm Mitch washed it all away.

The Clinton administration and international donor organizations, heeding a warning from four Central American presidents that the ravages of Hurricane Mitch are endangering democracy in their countries, pledged more than $1 billion Thursday in relief and interest-free loans to the devastated region. "You are our neighbors, our friends, our partners," Undersecretary of State Stuart E. Eizenstat said during an emergency meeting of the visiting presidents and a group of donor organizations.

The Clinton administration and international donor organizations, heeding a warning from four Central American presidents that the ravages of Hurricane Mitch are endangering democracy in their countries, pledged more than $1 billion Thursday in relief and interest-free loans to the devastated region. "You are our neighbors, our friends, our partners," Undersecretary of State Stuart E. Eizenstat said during an emergency meeting of the visiting presidents and a group of donor organizations.

Maria Corina Artola has never been wealthy or even financially comfortable. But Friday, she was the poorest she has ever been. Little by little over the years, she had established herself as a street vendor, earning enough to support her four children in a shack along an open sewer. That was until tropical storm Mitch washed it all away.

The International Red Cross on Monday said that it would need about $7.4 million to help victims of massive flooding and mudslides across Central America. Honduras and Nicaragua were particularly hard hit, with thousands of people feared dead and hundreds of thousands driven from their homes. In Washington, President Clinton said the U.S. would provide $2 million in food, medicine, water and other emergency supplies.

The House Tuesday night overcame concerns about excess spending and scores of special interest provisions to approve a $15-billion emergency package to finance the war in Yugoslavia and provide a broad assortment of disaster relief and refugee assistance.

A four-team international soccer tournament will be held tonight and Wednesday night at the Coliseum to raise money for disaster relief in Central America in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch. Guatemala will play Honduras tonight at 7 and Mexico squares off against El Salvador at 9, with the third-place game Wednesday at 7, followed by the championship game at 9. All four countries will compete at no expense and CONCACAF, the 38-nation North and Central American and Caribbean organization, and U.

The International Red Cross on Monday said that it would need about $7.4 million to help victims of massive flooding and mudslides across Central America. Honduras and Nicaragua were particularly hard hit, with thousands of people feared dead and hundreds of thousands driven from their homes. In Washington, President Clinton said the U.S. would provide $2 million in food, medicine, water and other emergency supplies.