Abandoned in the Storm: Puerto Rico and the Politics of Disaster

When Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico in 2017, the storm was only the beginning of the disaster.

Abandoned in the Storm takes you deep into the heart of a humanitarian crisis that exposed the raw truth behind America's relationship with its oldest colony. From delayed aid and failed leadership to the grassroots heroes who stepped in when systems collapsed, this book uncovers what really happened when 3.4 million U.S. citizens were left in the dark, literally and politically.

Through powerful firsthand accounts, investigative research, and clear eyed analysis, author Alex Alicea documents the widespread devastation, the scandalous mismanagement of the U.S. response, and the lasting impact still felt across the island today.

Explore the underreported realities:

• Why FEMA and federal agencies failed Puerto Rico so catastrophically
• The real death toll, and the effort to cover it up
• How disaster capitalism exploited the crisis
• The political status that left Puerto Ricans powerless during an emergency
• What recovery looks like years later, and what the island still faces

If you care about justice, accountability, and the people America too often forgets, this is a story you need to read.

Abandoned in the Storm is not just a book. It's a reckoning.