This summer has seen Bad Bunny hopping from country to country on his long-awaited European tour which would have included appearances at Barcelonas annual Snar festival and Lollapalooza Paris. But late Monday night, while on a break in Ibiza, the Latin trap star tweeted that he was putting the tour on hold to join protestors in Puerto Rico this Wednesday. Using the hashtag #RickyRenuncia, Bad Bunny and thousands of other Puerto Ricans have called for the resignation of Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossell, who is currently embroiled in a corruption scandal.
For years, decades, the system has taught us to stay quiet, said Bad Bunny in one of two Instagram videos posted late Monday night. Theyve made us believe that those who take to the streets to speak up are crazy, criminals, troublemakers. Lets show them that todays generations demand respect [] The country doesnt belong to them, it belongs to all of us.
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Wednesday marks the fifth day of protests in Puerto Rico calling for Rossells resignation. Demonstrations began Monday night, after Puerto Ricos Center for Investigative Journalism published almost 900 pages of a private chat between the governor and 11 aides and members of his cabinet, which were leaked from the Telegram app. The chat logs disclose sexist, homophobic insults and crude remarks, which mock colleagues and political adversaries alike; other targets include stars like Ricky Martin, local activists, and even victims of Hurricane Mara. Just last week, two former members of Rossells administration were among those arrested by the FBI on 32 charges of federal corruption, which include laundering $15.5 million in federal contracts under his tenure: Julia Keleher, his former secretary of education, and Angela Avila Marrero, former executive director of the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration.
Corruption is a social evil. Its a social evil in the in the private sector, its a social evil in local government and its a social evil in the federal government, an embattled Rossell said in a press conference on Tuesday morning. The conference followed a chaotic night of demonstrations outside his mansion in Old San Juan, where police were seen spraying tear gas at kneeling protestors. Although he apologized for the insults and offensive comments made in the chat, Rossell has insisted that he will not resign. I have not committed illegal acts, he told reporters, I committed improper acts.
The arrests and the #TelegramGate controversy have heightened Puerto Ricans malcontent, especially after years of economic turmoil under the U.S.-appointed Fiscal Management and Oversight Board which have lead to the closing of hundreds of public schools and put additional strain on government services. Rossells administration has also been indifferent to feminist groups calls to address the alarming number of femicides and domestic violence in the island. Organized by the feminist group Colectivo Feminista en Construccin and labor union Sindicato Puertorriqueo de Trabajadores with additional support from Bad Bunny and Puerto Rican MC Residente Wednesdays protest is slated to be bigger than Monday nights and will kick off 5 p.m. local time at the Capitol building in San Juan.
Together with singer-songwriter iLe, the two urbano stars released a surprise track on Wednesday morning in support of the march. Its not the first time Bad Bunny and Residente have confronted the islands head of state: In January, the duo showed up unannounced to the governors mansion in the wee hours of the morning, to address the islands high crime rate. Back then, they only had diplomatic words for Rossell; but in their brand new track Afilando Los Cuchillos, or Sharpening The Knives, Bad Bunny shares his most politically incisive commentary yet. Let all the continents know that Ricardo Rossell is an incompetent, homophobic liar, spits Bunny in Spanish: A delinquent, no one wants younot even your own people.
Ricky Martin, who also plans to attend the protest, has been instrumental in galvanizing Puerto Ricans into action. Already involved in post-Mara recovery efforts, and most recently outspoken about anti-LGBT legislation, the pop star posted a heartfelt video on Twitter Tuesday night, demanding that Rossell step down. Puerto Rico has already suffered a lot and we cant stand the cynicism of these so-called leaders anymore, said Martin. Please, Puerto Rico, dont be scared. Join us.