Editing Vieques, Puerto Rico (section)

===Hurricane Maria and rebuilding efforts===
[[File:Mangroves in Vieques, Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria 2017.jpg|thumb|Mangroves in Vieques, where electrical power lines were destroyed by Hurricane Maria in 2017]]
Puerto Rico was struck by [[Hurricane Maria]] on September 20, 2017, and the storm caused widespread devastation and a near-total shutdown of the island's tourism-based economy. The largest hotel on the island, ''The W,'' has not reopened since the storm, but most smaller hotels, bed and breakfasts, and Airbnb operators have resumed operations.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/28/us/vieques-cut-off-after-hurricane-maria/index.html |title=Islanders cut off from world: 'We've lost everything' |first=Bill |last=Weir |date=September 28, 2017 |website=[[CNN]] |access-date=July 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029025228/https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/28/us/vieques-cut-off-after-hurricane-maria/index.html |archive-date=October 29, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

As of December 2019, the [[Susana Centeno Hospital]] in Vieques had not been repaired and remained shuttered. Expectant mothers had to travel to the main island of Puerto Rico to give birth. People needing dialysis had to travel to the main island. In November 2018, a mobile dialysis machine was delivered to a temporary clinic.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/07/us/puerto-rico-trump-vieques.html |title=Hunger and an 'Abandoned' Hospital: Puerto Rico Waits as Washington Bickers |first=Patricia |last=Mazzei |date=April 7, 2019 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=July 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725172747/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/07/us/puerto-rico-trump-vieques.html |archive-date=July 25, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On January 21, 2020, the [[Federal Emergency Management Agency]] (FEMA) approved $39.5&nbsp;million to help rebuild its only hospital after damage caused by Hurricane Maria. FEMA approved the funding after the [[Office of Management and Budget]] agreed to provide money to rebuild the Susan Centeno community health center based on its "replacement value."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Uria |first=Daniel |date=January 21, 2020 |title=FEMA approves funds to rebuild hospital on Puerto Rican island |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2020/01/21/FEMA-approves-funds-to-rebuild-hospital-on-Puerto-Rican-island/5001579648472/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303205841/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2020/01/21/FEMA-approves-funds-to-rebuild-hospital-on-Puerto-Rican-island/5001579648472/ |archive-date=March 3, 2020 |access-date=March 3, 2020 |website=UPI}}</ref>

The family of Jaideliz Moreno Ventura, 13, whose 2020 death was blamed on the lack of a functioning hospital and lifesaving medical equipment in Vieques, is suing the government for violation of human and civil rights. Funds for rebuilding the hospital were approved two weeks after Jaideliz's death.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Acevedo |first1=Nicole |title=Family of teen who died in Vieques, with no hospital since hurricane, sues Puerto Rico officials |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/family-teen-who-died-vieques-no-hospital-hurricane-sues-puerto-n1256219 |access-date=January 31, 2021 |work=NBC News |date=January 31, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

While [[Pedro Pierluisi|Governor Pedro Pierluisi]] expected construction to begin on the hospital rebuild in 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Journal |first=Maricarmen Rivera Sánchez, The Weekly |title=Gov't: Vieques to Have New Hospital by Mid-2024 |url=https://www.theweeklyjournal.com/online_features/govt-vieques-to-have-new-hospital-by-mid-2024/article_2acfda32-013c-11ec-ac6f-e79d10397f83.html |access-date=2022-08-25 |website=The Weekly Journal |language=en}}</ref> it was delayed until 2023 with the holdup blamed on both construction complications on the island and further bureaucratic procedures by [[Federal Emergency Management Agency|FEMA]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BNamericas - Puerto Rico puts out to tender new hospital ... |url=https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/puerto-rico-puts-out-to-tender-new-hospital-construction |access-date=2022-08-25 |website=BNamericas.com |language=en}}</ref>  As of November 2024, construction was not yet complete.