The 2017 Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
Anger mounts in Puerto Rico as workers discover warehouse full of unused aid
By Genevieve Leigh, 21 January 2020
On Saturday, in Ponce, Puerto Rico residents discovered a warehouse piled high with desperately needed unused emergency supplies
Protests erupt in Puerto Rico after leaked texts from governor reveal conspiracy to loot island
By Julio Patron, 18 July 2019
The texts range from the childish and profane to gangster-like jokes about the death toll from Hurricane Maria like, “don't we have some cadavers to feed our crows?"
One of America's deadliest disasters
Puerto Rico raises Hurricane Maria death toll from 64 to 2,975
By Bill Van Auken, 30 August 2018
The estimate of nearly 3,000 deaths attributable to the storm is a searing indictment of the criminal negligence of both the US ruling establishment and the island’s own authorities.
US financial board spars with Puerto Rican authorities over how best to pillage island
By Genevieve Leigh, 2 July 2018
Wall Street demands a fresh round of budget cuts as the social crisis on the US territory deepens.
US media turns blind eye to the death of 5,000 Puerto Ricans
By Genevieve Leigh, 4 June 2018
The Harvard study on the impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico is a damning exposure of one of the most monstrous cover-ups in US history.
Puerto Rican resident speaks on death toll cover up, crisis on the island
By Genevieve Leigh, 1 June 2018
Jose, a 29-year-old resident of the island, spoke to the WSWS about the conditions which led to 5,000 deaths after Hurricane María and about the way forward for the working class
A social crime and cover-up exposed
Five thousand deaths in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria
By Genevieve Leigh, 31 May 2018
A Harvard study estimating nearly 5,000 deaths of Puerto Ricans in the aftermath of Hurricane María is a damning exposure of the official cover up of death and devastation on the island.
New estimates put real death toll from Hurricane María in Puerto Rico near 5,000
By Genevieve Leigh, 30 May 2018
The study is the latest third party report that discredits the official government toll of 64 deaths from the 2017 hurricane.
Banks impose massive attack on Puerto Rican workers amid island-wide blackout
By Genevieve Leigh, 20 April 2018
Puerto Rico’s unelected Financial Oversight Management Board passed a fiscal plan Thursday which includes cuts to education, pensions, sick leave and vacation pay.
Seven months after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico suffers total blackout
By Daniel de Vries, 19 April 2018
A break in a single transmission line triggered an island-wide blackout Wednesday, expected to last 24 to 36 hours.
US government cuts aid to Puerto Rico by half
By Antonio Castro, 3 March 2018
Amidst a mounting mental health crisis and constant power outages, the US government announced a drastic cut in aid to the island still reeling from hurricane damage.
Notes from Puerto Rico
Wave of home foreclosures expected to hit Puerto Rico
By Antonio Castro, 24 February 2018
This is the third in a series of on-the-ground updates from a Puerto Rican worker on the unfolding crisis on the island in the wake of Hurricane María.
Puerto Rican Investment Summit discusses how to profit from human tragedy
By Rafael Azul, 19 February 2018
Oblivious to the humanitarian crisis, participants discussed how to profit from the hurricane destruction and protect their speculative assets from US taxes.
Puerto Rico blackout exposes the precarious state of the island’s electrical grid
By Matthew Taylor, 13 February 2018
An explosion ripped through the Monacillo power plant outside of San Juan Sunday night, leaving 175,000 residents without power for several hours.
Plundering of Puerto Rico continues as governor attacks public education
By Genevieve Leigh, 10 February 2018
Governor Rosselló announced his intention to privatize the public school system a week and a half after announcing the sell-off of the electricity grid.
Notes from Puerto Rico
Thousands of workers in Puerto Rico continue to live without running water
By Antonio Castro, 8 February 2018
This is the second in a series of updates from a local Puerto Rican worker on the unfolding crisis on the island in the wake of Hurricane María.
Why are a million Puerto Ricans still in the dark?
By Daniel de Vries, 2 February 2018
Even as a humanitarian crisis continues to ravage the United States’ largest territory, officials are plotting the privatization of the public electric utility.
Puerto Rican Governor calls for the closing of a quarter of the island’s public schools
By Rafael Azul, 31 January 2018
As part of his new fiscal spending plan, Governor Rosselló has proposed to cut $303.4 million from education by closing 300 K-12 schools.
Notes from Puerto Rico
Four months of life in the dark after Hurricane Maria
By Antonio Castro, 30 January 2018
This is the first of a series of on-the-ground updates from a local Puerto Rican worker on the unfolding crisis on the island in the wake of Hurricane María.
Four months after Hurricane Maria
Continuing crisis used to justify sell-off of Puerto Rico’s electrical grid
By Genevieve Leigh, 24 January 2018
The governor of Puerto Rico announced plans to privatize the island’s largest public utility amidst the longest and largest power outage in modern US history.
The deadly impact of Hurricane María extends to US hospitals
Power outages set off IV bag shortages
By Genevieve Leigh, 13 January 2018
Ongoing power outages in Puerto Rico have set off a severe crisis of IV bag shortages on the US mainland, exacerbated by a sharp increase in flu cases nationwide.
Puerto Rico, more than 100 days after Hurricane Maria: The class issues
By Genevieve Leigh, 8 January 2018
The absence of planning for the hurricane and the lack of any significant response to the devastation by the local and federal governments has had deadly consequences.
“The government has done nothing”
Months after hurricane, Puerto Rican workers face worsening jobs crisis
By Genevieve Leigh and Zac Corrigan, 28 December 2017
The economic devastation of Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria continues to escalate three months after the storm made landfall in late September.
Puerto Rico governor orders review of official hurricane death toll
By Niles Niemuth, 19 December 2017
The review comes amid growing anger on the island and media reports that the true death toll from Hurricane Maria could exceed 1,000.
“The poverty is no longer hidden by the trees”
Hurricane Maria exposes the conditions of life for the working class in Caguas, Puerto Rico
By Genevieve Leigh and Zac Corrigan, 18 December 2017
Workers and youth from Caguas, Puerto Rico, spoke to WSWS reporters about life without power, electricity and running water, nearly 100 days after Hurricane Maria.
“The rich people are not going to do anything for us”
University of Puerto Rico students speak on inequality and the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria
By Genevieve Leigh and Zac Corrigan, 16 December 2017
Nearly three months after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, a WSWS reporting team spoke to students at the island’s only public university about the ongoing crisis and the way forward for workers and youth.
On-the-spot report
Over a million in Puerto Rico living without the necessities of modern life
“The island has been turned upside down since the storm”
By Genevieve Leigh and Zac Corrigan, 14 December 2017
Nearly three months after Hurricane Maria made landfall a WSWS reporting team spoke to residents in San Sebastian, Puerto about the discrepancy between official news reports of the island’s recovery and the actual conditions they face.
Puerto Rican unions propose to partner with the Wall Street’s financial control board
By Rafael Azul, 8 December 2017
With social anger growing against the criminal indifference of the Trump administration and new demands for austerity measures, the trade unions are desperately trying to block the eruption of working-class struggle.
Ten weeks since Hurricane María: Scientists say real death toll in Puerto Rico over 1,000
By Rafael Azul, 30 November 2017
While conditions continue to deteriorate for most Puerto Ricans, big business looks for profit-making opportunities.
Hurricane Harvey three months on: Tens of thousands still homeless from worst natural disaster in US history
By Joseph Kishore, 29 November 2017
The ongoing catastrophe caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria is an indictment of American capitalism and the financial oligarchy that runs the United States.
Puerto Rico proclaims “new government” to intensify austerity
By Andrea Lobo, 17 November 2017
With Puerto Rico still devastated by Hurricane Maria, local authorities are claiming dictatorial powers to carry out a brutal offensive against workers and youth.
San Juan blackout exposes chaos in restoration of Puerto Rico’s electrical service
By Rafael Azul, 14 November 2017
Behind last week’s blackout in Puerto Rico are the effects of delayed maintenance and moves to privatize the government-owned electricity enterprise.
DeVos visits Puerto Rico to boost privatization of public schools
By Rafael Azul, 10 November 2017
The US education secretary met with her Puerto Rican counterpart, who is looking at post-Katrina New Orleans as the model for the schools in US territory.
Puerto Rican teachers arrested at protest demanding reopening of schools
By Jerry White, 8 November 2017
Puerto Rico’s education secretary is following the example of New Orleans, where Hurricane Katrina was used as the opportunity to lay off thousands of teachers and privatize schools.
Bernie Sanders tries to quell anger in Puerto Rico
By Rafael Azul, 1 November 2017
With anger against the Trump administration reaching a breaking point, Sanders urged Puerto Ricans to keep their faith in the US government.
CVS and Aetna reportedly in talks for $60 billion merger
By Tom Hall, 31 October 2017
The merger between the CVS pharmacy chain and the insurance giant is reportedly in response to Amazon’s imminent entry into the prescription drug business.
Whitefish Energy profits in Puerto Rico from Trump administration connection
By Rafael Azul, 30 October 2017
As these connections have come to light, top Puerto Rican government officials have tried to wash their hands of the deal.
Montana company with ties to Trump cashes in from Puerto Rico disaster
By Rafael Azul, 25 October 2017
Whitefish Energy, a tiny Montana company with virtually no experience in infrastructure repair, has secured a $300 million contract to help rebuild Puerto Rico’s electrical grid.
Puerto Rico power blackout the biggest in US history
By Rafael Azul, 24 October 2017
Some 3 million people are without electricity and there are predictions that some remote parts of the mountainous island will not see power restored until next June.
Estimated death toll in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria rises to 450
By Rafael Azul, 20 October 2017
Amidst a systematic cover-up of the true scale of the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, Trump declared yesterday that the response of the US government was a “10.”
Deaths caused by Leptospirosis reported in Puerto Rico
By Benjamin Mateus, 16 October 2017
There is a scarcity of clean water in rural communities, whose residents are resorting to washing and bathing in local rivers and springs.
President Trump threatens to pull the plug on Puerto Rico
By Rafael Azul, 13 October 2017
In Twitter messages, the president blamed the US territory for its crisis and said that federal disaster relief had to be limited.
Trump, local officials lie about real extent of Puerto Rico disaster
By Rafael Azul, 10 October 2017
Three weeks since the devastating storm hit, there is a concerted campaign by the Trump administration and local government authorities to conceal the full scope of the disaster.
WSWS reader describes ongoing human catastrophe in Puerto Rico
By Tom Hall, 9 October 2017
Nearly three weeks after Hurricane Maria hit the island millions remain without power and the real death toll is still not known.
Puerto Rico continues to languish as tropical storm Nate threatens US Gulf Coast
By Rafael Azul, 7 October 2017
The current hurricane season in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico is proving to be one of the most destructive on record.
Wall Street demands Puerto Rico pay up
By Rafael Azul, 5 October 2017
Budget Director Mulvaney: “Puerto Rico’s going to have to figure out how to fix the errors that it has made for the last generation on its own finances.”
Trump’s photo-op in Puerto Rico
By Rafael Azul, 4 October 2017
Trump, who is proposing the largest tax cut for corporations and the rich in history, complained that the recovery effort was costing too much.
Trump visits Puerto Rico as anger grows over government response
By Rafael Azul, 3 October 2017
In contrast to the indifference of the Trump administration, people across the United States are volunteering to help residents of the hurricane-ravaged island.
Puerto Rico faces health catastrophe as Trump tweets “We have done a great job”
By Andrea Lobo, 2 October 2017
Almost two weeks after Hurricane Maria laid waste to much of Puerto Rico, many towns are still cut off from all relief efforts.
New York City workers collecting aid express anger at Trump’s response to Puerto Rico disaster
By a WSWS reporting team, 2 October 2017
Working people at a South Bronx event to collect aid for people in the US territory spoke to the WSWS about their anger over the Trump administration’s lack of response to the devastation of Hurricane Maria, which struck nearly two weeks ago.
“We need help and the politicians are ignoring us”
Puerto Rican survivors describe dire conditions after hurricane
By Jerry White, 2 October 2017
Residents of Arroyo on the southeastern shore of the island described the lack of water, electricity and other basic necessities.
Trump to Puerto Rico: Your lives don’t matter
By Eric London, 30 September 2017
The Trump administration’s callous and incompetent response to the social disaster in Puerto Rico expresses the worldview of a financial oligarchy that sees the lives of working people as expendable.
As popular anger builds, US sends military to Puerto Rico
By Rafael Azul, 29 September 2017
The purpose of the military occupation is to contain the masses and to protect the profit interests of banks and corporations.
Puerto Rican people still without aid a week after Hurricane Maria
By Rafael Azul, 28 September 2017
Puerto Rico is already under a 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. Increasingly, the question raised is whether the island will be placed under martial law.
Trump to devastated Puerto Rico: Wall Street must be paid!
By Bill Van Auken, 27 September 2017
The brutal and ignorant tweet from the US president expresses the real attitude of America’s ruling oligarchy toward a population of 3.5 million confronting a humanitarian catastrophe.
Puerto Rico confronts the devastation wrought by hurricanes and Wall Street
By Rafael Azul, 25 September 2017
Puerto Rico is reeling not only from the catastrophic effects of hurricanes Irma and Maria, but from the predatory ravages of Wall Street.
Dam collapse threatens to kill thousands in Puerto Rico
By Rafael Azul, 23 September 2017
Three days after Hurricane Maria devastated the Island, residents are left without power and basic necessities, while an ongoing dam collapse threatens to inundate tens of thousands.
Puerto Rico devastated by Hurricane Maria
By Rafael Azul, 22 September 2017
As in Texas and Florida, the human suffering caused by the hurricane was exacerbated by the absence of any serious evacuation plan and the lack of public resources.
Hurricane Maria devastates Puerto Rico
By Rafael Azul, 21 September 2017
The suffering caused by the hurricane was made worse by the absence of any serious official evacuation plan and the lack of resources due to the financial plundering of the US territory
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