Bad Bunny endorses Kamala Harris for president

Bad Bunny has put his support behind US Vice President Kamala Harris, uploading a video of the Democratic presidential contender with his more than 45 million Instagram followers.

Bad Bunny.

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Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is one of the most famous performers of the moment. His endorsement might help the Harris campaign increase its support among Latino voters, with whom Trump has been seeking to make momentum.

The 30-year-old Puerto Rican reggaeton performer, whose hits include "Dakiti" and "Titi Me Preguntó," has received three Grammy Awards. He was the most streamed musician on Spotify in 2020, 2021, and 2022, being overtaken only by Taylor Swift in 2023. He was voted Apple Music's Artist of the Year in 2022.

Harris says "there's so much at stake in this election for Puerto Rican voters and for Puerto Rico" in an Instagram video published by Bad Bunny. Bad Bunny's publicist affirmed Harris' support.

The artist then uploaded another segment of the video numerous times, in which Harris states, "I will never forget what Donald Trump did and did not do when Puerto Rico needed a caring and competent leader".

His support came shortly after a comedian who spoke at the start of Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday described Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage". The statements made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe were promptly condemned by Harris' campaign and Puerto Rican star Ricky Martin, who was among the first to back Harris when she announced her presidential candidacy in July.

"That's what they think of us," Ricky Martin said on Instagram, urging fans to vote for Harris.

The Puerto Rican vote is substantial in Pennsylvania, which is likely the most competitive of the swing states in the 2024 election. Other Puerto Rican musicians, like Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, have already shown support for Harris. Trump has also received backing from other prominent island stars, like Anuel AA and Nicky Jam.

Bad Bunny has been vociferous in his criticism of Puerto Rico's electrical grid, which was destroyed by Hurricane Maria. One of his most recent songs, "Una Velita," is also a criticism of the government's reaction to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017.

A year later, public health specialists calculated that Hurricane Maria killed roughly 3,000 people. However, Trump, whose efforts to assist the island territory's recovery have been constantly criticized, has repeatedly questioned that figure, claiming it increased "like magic."

His visit to the island following the cyclone sparked criticism, such as when he threw paper towels. Years later, just weeks before the 2020 presidential election, his administration provided $13 billion in help. A federal government watchdog discovered that authorities impeded a probe into assistance delivery delays.

Bad Bunny also uploaded a portion of the video in which Harris claims Trump "abandoned the island, tried to block aid after back-to-back devastating hurricanes, and offered nothing more than paper towels and insults."

Harris visited a Puerto Rican restaurant in North Philadelphia earlier on Sunday and announced her strategy on the island, saying she wants to form a task force to encourage investment to repair the electrical grid. On Tuesday, Trump will visit Allentown, Pennsylvania, where more than half of the population is Hispanic, with the bulk coming from Puerto Rico.

In 2020, Bad Bunny authorized the Biden campaign to use one of his tunes, "Pero Ya No," in a television commercial.