Ted Cruz blasted for joking about his Cancun trip: ‘A child died’

Senator tweeted excitement at new flights from Houston to Mexican beach destination

Ted Cruz was blasted for joking about the “awesome” Cancun vacation he took during the Texas winter storm that left at least 111 people dead.

The senator tweeted his excitement at a report that an airline is now offering cheap flights from Houston, where he has a family home, to the Mexican beach destination.

“Excited to travel again? This airline can hook you up with a cheap flight to sunny Cancun or even Las Vegas!” tweeted ABC13 Houston.

“Awesome!” Cruz responded in a tweet.

Mr Cruz was widely criticised for leaving Texas with his family during the historic February storm, that saw thousands of his constituents left for days without power and water.

He later apologised after the controversy caused him to cut short his trip after 24 hours and return to the US alone.

“It was obviously a mistake. In hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it,” he said, before explaining that it was his two daughters who talked him into the misguided trip.

Twitter users were quick to criticise Mr Cruz for his latest tweet, and to point out the human cost of the storm in the state, which saw an 11-year-old boy die from hypothermia.

“A child froze to death,” replied @Marty_Shannon on twitter.

“You spend so little time in Texas I’m curious if you could find it on a map,” tweeted @tony68729098

“Next time a crisis hits Houston, you can get out of town even cheaper!” Wrote @lesmatthews.

“The people of your state were in dire straits when you wilfully abandoned them. The fact that you are joking about it confirms that you have no regrets. You are what you are, sir,” tweeted @larsp2740.

“Abandoning your constituents as punch line. How Ted Cruz,” tweeted @FieldingFishly.