What the Puerto Rican hurricanes make visible: Chronicle of a public health disaster foretold

Joan Benach, Marinilda Rivera Díaz, Nylca J. Muñoz, Eliana Martínez-Herrera and Juan Manuel Pericàs

Social Science & Medicine, 2019, vol. 238, issue C, -

Abstract: García Márquez's novel, “Chronicle of a Death Foretold”, narrates the multiple strands of a story leading up to a murder in a small Caribbean village. The novel shows both the incredulity of those who do not believe it possible that this tragic death could occur, and the impotence of those who see it coming but can do nothing to prevent it. Something akin to this double incapacity seems to be occurring today in Puerto Rico. In September 2017, the passage of Hurricanes Irma and María caused a public health disaster with large-scale death and destruction. Paradoxically, this catastrophe has made visible the need to evaluate the critical socio-environmental situation of this country, and to analyse the underlying social factors contributing to the problems caused by the hurricanes. Why did neither the US nor the Puerto Rican government react as expected when faced with such a serious situation? For decades, this country has been suppressed by colonial domination, exploitation of the workforce, and health discrimination. It has been a “laboratory”, where colonial practices have institutionalized social control, racism, and inequality, with profound negative effects on society, quality of life and health equality. Poverty and unemployment have always been very high, and thousands of families live in precarious housing situations. Additionally, current labour reforms imposed as part of a neoliberal agenda, are eroding the job security and protections of the working population, while education, health, housing, pensions, energy, and land are being progressively privatized. What are the root causes of this situation? What future does the country await? To answer these questions, critical and comprehensive scrutiny of history showing what the hurricanes have helped to make visible is required. This shows that neoliberal colonialism has shaped the social features behind the principle health and inequality problems of the Puerto-Rican population.

Keywords: Puerto Rico; Hurricanes; Disaster; Social determinants of health; Environment and public health; Colonialism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112367

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