The energy tragedy of the Spanish Caribbean:

Cuba and Puerto Rico fought parallel struggles for independence, and both fell under indirect or direct American rule after Washington intervened against Spain in 1898. 

After Castro took power in Havana, the gap widened throughout the 20th century as the U.S. built up Puerto Rico as a symbol of American capitalism's superiority over communism. 

But a quarter of the way through the 21st century -- when access to electricity is the basic cornerstone of modern life in an increasingly digitized and hot world where Internet and air conditioning are necessities -- neither island's power grid can keep the lights on. 

https://spectrum.ieee.org/cuba-energy-crisis

The struggle for energy independence in the Spanish Caribbean is a poignant reminder of the complex historical and geopolitical dynamics that continue to affect these islands today. The challenges faced by both Cuba and Puerto Rico underscore the critical importance of modernizing infrastructure to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving world.