Ahead of the election, Bad Bunny's ties to Venezuela cause controversy in Puerto Rico · The Floridian

By Mario H. Lopez

Puerto Rican music star Bad Bunny is the latest artist to gain attention for his political activism this campaign season. The rapper, singer and producer has been behind a series of political billboard advertisements in his native Puerto Rico. Not particularly unusual at first, until reports emerge that the reggaeton star's political connections extend to the repressive and corrupt regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.

A recent report revealed that Rimas Entertainment, Bad Bunny's record label, had previously received millions of dollars from Maduro's Venezuela to help the label grow. Nina Valedón Santiago, politician and Senate candidate for one of Puerto Rico's largest political parties, the Popular Democratic Party (Popular Democratic Partyor PPD), called on the FBI to investigate the connection between Rimas and the Maduro government as “interference in the democratic process of Puerto Rico and the United States.”(1)(2)

Valedon's call lends further credibility to the resistance, as the Bad Bunny-funded ads actually criticized the island's New Progressive Party (Partido Nuevo Progresistaor PNP), the generally pro-state party. “We cannot allow money from oppressive and corrupt regimes to influence our society. In Puerto Rico, unlike Venezuela, we all have freedom of expression. It is our responsibility to protect democracy and the freedom of our people,” Valedón said.

If the allegations are true, the financial connection between Rimas and Maduro's socialist regime has troubling implications for Puerto Rico's self-determination and perhaps even for overall U.S. national security.

Interference by foreign adversaries in other countries' democratic processes with the aim of harming the United States is nothing new. Oppressive regimes have previously worked to destabilize Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and other countries, often through the use of various influence tactics, including financing political movements.

But these allegations coming to light in a U.S. territory like Puerto Rico are alarming. Serious instability in Puerto Rico would be a major boon to our foreign adversaries and would have both economic and national security consequences.

The source of the alleged connection between Rimas and Venezuela is Rafael Jiménez Dan, the label's co-founder and former deputy minister under the authoritarian government of the late Hugo Chávez. Jiménez Dan was a major financial backer of Rimas, reportedly using money many believe he had amassed during his time under Chávez. Of course, he claims that his investments were legitimate and that he had no contact with Bad Bunny or other Rimas artists.

Just like on the mainland, Puerto Rico faces some important decisions in November. The election includes a gubernatorial race as well as a referendum on the island's political status – always a contentious issue. The head of the PPD distanced himself from Valedón's comments as well as the general accusations that others within the party were defending Bad Bunny's right to express his political opinions.

But the reports and allegations are sobering enough to warrant further investigation. A potential security threat should be dismissed as an intra-party dispute without thorough scrutiny, regardless of the popularity of the central figure involved.

The downward trend of the pro-Commonwealth PPD is causing political uncertainty on the island. It is the kind of disruption that, as history shows, presents an opportunity that is often exploited by bad actors with undemocratic motives. The potential influence of foreign funds in Puerto Rico undermines both the interests of American citizens of Puerto Rico and those of the United States generally.

To be clear: Bad Bunny has the right to express his political beliefs and should not be criticized for it. But questions about ties to a regime as hostile as Maduro's in Venezuela should not be swept under the rug. An FBI investigation, like the one called for by concerned Puerto Rican officials, could be a necessary step to ensure transparency and protect the integrity of Puerto Rico's elections.

While Bad Bunny's music has brought Puerto Rico worldwide attention and recognition, his label's political connections raise serious concerns. Foreign interference in American elections, whether on the mainland or in Puerto Rico, poses a threat to democracy. All Americans deserve to know that their vote, not that of a foreign government, will be the deciding factor on Election Day.

Mario H. Lopez is president of the Hispanic Leadership Fund, a public policy organization that advocates for freedom, opportunity and prosperity for all.