Cuba and Puerto Rico

Abstract Cuba and Puerto Rico, two former colonies of Spain, who saw their political trajectories radically reoriented by the United States at the end of the 19th century, have charted vastly different paths for themselves throughout the 20th and into the 21st centuries. During that time, both archipelagos saw intense political, economic, and societal upheavals that have had long-lasting consequences for international law and human rights in the Caribbean. Both archipelagos have sought to assert sovereignty over their affairs and create new futures for their people, while living in the shadow of U.S.-led, global capitalism.