Puerto Rico
As Governor Rosselló Resigns, Questions About Puerto Rico Voting and Representation Resurface
After being controlled by the federal government for over a century, could Puerto Rico be on a path to statehood?
Puerto Ricans Celebrate the Governor's Resignation Amid Ongoing Uncertainty (in Photos)
Under pressure from protests, Ricardo Rosselló announced he will be stepping down on August 2nd.
What Are the Protests in Puerto Rico Really About?
Though leaked messages and a corruption scandal have brought thousands to the streets, frustrations on the island run much deeper.
A Feminist Heist Novel Set in the Aftermath of Hurricane Maria
Aya de Leon discusses her latest book—and why heist and romance novels lend themselves to political content.
House Republicans Continue to Block a Disaster Aid Bill
Over the past week, Republicans have blocked the passage of the $19.1 billion disaster relief bill on three separate occasions.
Young Puerto Ricans Are Leaving the Island to Escape the Territory's Debt
In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, many college-aged Puerto Ricans are pursuing jobs elsewhere. Others are now deciding to stay.
The Senate Fails to Pass an Emergency Relief Bill Over Puerto Rico Provisions
The bill's failure exemplifies the current political polarization in Congress as it continues to grapple with disaster relief legislation.
Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
Puerto Rico deals with cuts to food stamps, LBGT support wanes among young Republicans, and the mystery behind sea-borne Garfield phones is solved.
How Neglect and Indifference Killed Puerto Ricans After Hurricane Maria
A new project reveals the extent of preventable deaths in the wake of the 2017 hurricane.
One Year After Hurricane Maria, Women's Health Providers in Puerto Rico Report a 'Slow' Recovery Process
Pacific Standard spoke with Blanca Cuevas, the director of a reproductive health non-profit based on the island.
A New Database Tracks the Fate of Hurricane Maria's Indirect Victims
Three organizations collected reports from Puerto Ricans who believed their loved ones died as a result of Hurricane Maria but whose death certificates didn't indicate storm conditions as a cause of death.
A New Study Finds That Hurricane Maria's Death Toll Was 2,975
This new death toll is more than twice as high as the estimates the Puerto Rican government released earlier this month.
Officials Finally Acknowledged Hurricane Maria's Higher Death Toll. What Else Did They Get Wrong?
For months, Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló refused to admit his government might have undercounted—and this is not the only spurious claim made since the disaster.
Puerto Rican Hurricane Refugees Are Safe From Eviction for One More Month
A federal judge issued an order on Wednesday that will prevent hundreds of Puerto Rican families who fled from Hurricane Maria from being evicted from hotels and motels across the United States—at least until August 31st.
Could a New Bill Free Puerto Rico From Its Debt?
On the 120th anniversary of America's colonization of the island, a group of senators introduced a bill to cancel Puerto Rico's debt obligations.
The First Hurricane of the 2018 Season Is Headed for the Caribbean
Hurricane Beryl, currently a Category 1 storm with top wind speeds of 80 miles per hour, is expected to make landfall by late Sunday night.
A Temporary Housing Program for Displaced Puerto Ricans Is Granted an Extension
A federal judge ruled Tuesday to extend a Federal Emergency Management Agency program providing temporary housing to Puerto Ricans lacking shelter in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
Puerto Rico Releases Records Suggesting a Higher Death Count After Hurricane Maria
The records indicate 1,427 more people died on the island in the months following the hurricane than would be expected in a normal year.
The Real Cost of Trump's Negligence in Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria is officially the deadliest storm in modern U.S. history—yet it received just a fraction of the aid given to Houston.
Why Renewable Energy Is Essential for the Caribbean
Caribbean countries must transform their energy systems by creating new, greener sources of power.
Viewfinder: Teachers in Puerto Rico Strike in Support of Public Education
Teachers participate in a one-day strike against the government's privatization drive in public education, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on March 19th, 2018.
After the Storm: Hurricane Maria Refugees Resettle in Amish Country
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is a small town with a long history of integrating Puerto Rican families, but this most recent influx is putting its resources to the test.
The FCC Wants Nearly $1 Billion to Help Aid Recovery Efforts in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai proposed the package, which allocates $64 million to immediate rebuilding efforts to restore existing communications networks in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Whitefish Discloses $150,000 Sum Spent on Lobbyists After Scrutiny of Puerto Rico Power Deal
Despite Whitefish's small size, the energy company was hired to help restore electrical service to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.