Bad Bunny, who supports Kamala Harris, a source close to the artist tells Billboard, is getting the Democratic presidential candidate’s latest message for Puerto Rican voters out to his 45 million followers on Instagram.
“There’s so much at stake in this election for Puerto Rican voters and for Puerto Rico,” Harris says in a campaign video posted on Sunday (Oct. 27), which Benito shared clips of on Instagram Stories not just once, but four times. “And this election is not just a choice between Donald Trump and me. It is a choice between two very different visions for our nation. One, his, focused on the past and on himself, and the other ours, that is focused on the future and on you. Puerto Rico is home to some of the most talented, innovative and ambitious people in our nation, and Puerto Ricans deserve a president who sees and invests in that strength.”
In the video, Harris tells voters: “As president, I will bring down the cost of housing, invest in small businesses and entrepreneurs and fight to finally secure equal access to programs that strengthen the healthcare system and support children, seniors and working people. I will create a new Puerto Rico economy task force where the federal government will work with the private sector, with non-profits and community leaders to foster economic growth and create thousands of new, good-paying jobs in Puerto Rico, including for our young people.”
“I know that Puerto Rico’s economic future depends on urgently rebuilding and modernizing the island’s energy grid. That’s why I will cut red tape, ensure disaster recovery funds are used quickly and effectively, and work with leaders across the island to ensure all Puerto Ricans have access to reliable, affordable electricity. I will never forget what Donald Trump did and what he did not do when Puerto Rico needed a caring and a competent leader. He abandoned the island, tried to block aid after back-to-back, devastating hurricanes, and offered nothing more than paper towels and insults. Puerto Ricans deserve better,” Harris says.
Bad Bunny emphasized Harris’ “I will never forget what Donald Trump did” line in his reposts of the speech.
Harris’ message to Puerto Rican voters on Sunday arrived the same day Trump was set to appear at a rally at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, where Tony Hinchcliffe, a podcast host/roast comedian, spewed racist jokes in an opening slot. He referred to Puerto Rico as “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean.” Later, he made a remark that Latinos “love making babies” in a lead up to a crude joke, which Vice President Harris’ campaign headquarters called a “vile racist tirade against Latinos” on X (formerly Twitter).
“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” Trump campaign senior advisor Danielle Alvarez said in a statement sent to Billboard Sunday night.
Benito, who was born and raised in Vega Baja, has a history of being vocal about social-political issues affecting the Puerto Rican community.
In September he placed billboards across San Juan in protest of the Partido Nuevo Progresista (New Progressive Party), a major political party that holds the seat of governor and resident commissioner in Puerto Rico, soon after releasing the song “Una Velita.” The billboards displayed messages including “To vote for PNP is to vote for corruption,” “Who votes for PNP doesn’t love Puerto Rico” and “Voting for PNP is voting for LUMA” (the private energy company responsible for power distribution and transmission on the island). In an Instagram post showing the billboards, the star said, “Announcements paid by Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. A Puerto Rican who does love Puerto Rico.”
“Una Velita,” released on Sept. 19, has Bad Bunny reflecting on Puerto Rico’s response to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017. “There were five thousand that they let die, and we will never forget that,” he chants on the track that addresses what happened in the wake of the Category 5 hurricane that devastated the island.
In 2022, he released a documentary-style video for Un Verano Sin Ti‘s “El Apagón.” With a runtime of almost 23 minutes, the short film takes aim at local government for its inaction in addressing blackouts, gentrification and other issues affecting Puerto Ricans.
