Nearly all of Puerto Rico loses power on New Year’s Eve, leaving 1.3M residents in the dark
New York PostDEC 2024
New Year's Eve Blackout Leaves Most of Puerto Rico Without Power
Above: A car navigates through an intersection without stop lights in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after a major power outage hit the island on Dec. 31, 2024. Image credit: Ricardo Arduengo/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Luma's mismanagement has devastated Puerto Rico's energy infrastructure, with its most recent blackout leaving 1.2M without power on New Year's Eve. Their incompetence is undeniable, proving they're unfit for this role. The US government and corporations must urgently intervene, increasing the support and infrastructure overhaul this US territory desperately requires, not leaving it to corporate neglect.
Right narrative
Puerto Rico's decline isn't solely the US' fault; local leaders have been corrupt, with numerous officials imprisoned for bribery. After Hurricane Maria, their mismanagement left the island powerless for months. While the island's leaders have left it in turmoil for a while now, the US still has an opportunity to transform Puerto Rico into an economic powerhouse and a model of good governance, akin to Singapore or Hong Kong.
Metaculus Prediction
There is a 30% chance that Puerto Rico will become a US state before 2035, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
