Senator Ted Cruz (R., Texas) flew to Cancun, Mexico, on Wednesday while his state was in the midst of a historic snow storm and massive power outages, multiple outlets reported on Thursday.
Photographs of the senator at an airport were uploaded to social media on Wednesday evening, with allegations that Cruz was flying to Cancun.
“The photos speak for themselves,” a Republican source told Fox. Cruz is booked on a flight home to Houston for Thursday afternoon, CNN reported.
Meanwhile, an unusually severe winter storm brought snow and freezing temperatures to Texas on Sunday. Millions of residents were left without power, heat, or potable water after the storm shut down the state’s power grid and energy infrastructure. Residents have resorted to building fires for heat and melting snow for drinking water.
National Review has reached out to Senator Cruz’s office for comment.
“This storm is dangerous,” Cruz said in a radio interview on Monday. “And there’s a second storm expected to hit this week, which will make things even worse. So if you can stay home, don’t go out on the roads, don’t risk the ice.”
Cruz is expected to return to the Houston area on Thursday.
Update 1:30 p.m.: Cruz released a statement on Thursday afternoon saying he chose to fly out after his daughters asked him.
Statement from Senator Ted Cruz on his trip to Cancun. pic.twitter.com/2g8NGcn91V
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) February 18, 2021
“With school canceled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends. Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon,” Cruz said. “My team and I are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas.”
Cruz was initially scheduled to return home on Saturday, a source at United Airlines told travel news outlet Skift.