October 28th 2024.
Puerto Ricans were outraged when a comedian, while performing at a Donald Trump rally, referred to their island as "garbage". This is just the latest in a long history of mistreatment and disrespect towards Puerto Rico, a US territory. The residents of the island, who are US citizens but cannot vote in general elections, expressed their fury at this insult, which could potentially impact the upcoming presidential election.
Despite not being able to vote, Puerto Ricans still have a strong influence in the election through their relatives living on the mainland. As soon as the speaker made the derogatory comments on Sunday night, phones across the island were ringing with family members calling to express their anger. And the buzz continued into Monday.
The battle for Puerto Rican communities in swing states, such as Pennsylvania, is a key point of contention between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump. In fact, Puerto Rican reggaeton star Bad Bunny even announced his support for Harris shortly after the comedian's remarks.
But it wasn't just the insult to Puerto Rico that caused outrage. The comedian's set also included racist and lewd comments about Latinos, Jews, and Black people - all important demographics in the election. This was met with rare disapproval from the usually pugnacious Trump campaign.
Milagros Serrano, whose son lives in Pennsylvania, was one of the many Puerto Ricans who were deeply offended by the comedian's comments. She called him a "piece of garbage" and stated that he had no right to speak about Puerto Rico in such a disrespectful manner.
Puerto Rico became a US territory in 1917 and has since seen a large wave of migration to the mainland, with more Puerto Ricans now living in the US than on the island. Those who stayed behind often feel like second-class citizens, as they cannot vote in presidential elections and receive limited federal funding compared to US states.
This resentment was further fueled when Trump visited Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017. His actions, such as throwing paper towels into a crowd and denying the official death toll, which was estimated to be nearly 3000, only added to the feeling of mistreatment.
The reaction to the comedian's comments was swift and angry. José Acevedo, a health worker from San Juan, described feeling humiliated and discriminated against. He texted his relatives in New York, including a Republican uncle who had planned to vote for Trump, and they were all shocked and outraged by the remarks.
The comments dominated local news sites and even prompted Puerto Rico's representative in Congress, Jenniffer González, who is a Trump supporter, to call them "despicable, misguided, and disgusting". Governor Pedro Pierluisi, a Democrat, also condemned the comments and urged people to reject the candidates representing the two main parties in the upcoming election.
The political landscape in Puerto Rico is heavily defined by the island's status as a territory. As a result, it is not uncommon for Democrats and Republicans to be members of the same local party. But in the aftermath of the comedian's comments, many Puerto Ricans, like Sonia Pérez, are rejecting both parties and their candidates, fueled by the belief that Latinos are still facing discrimination in the 21st century despite their contributions to the country.
The comedian's remarks also drew the attention of Puerto Rican celebrities, such as Ricky Martin, who had previously endorsed Harris. He posted a video of the crude joke and wrote, "This is what they think of us". This sentiment was shared by many, including Michael Meléndez Ortiz, an unemployed janitor, who couldn't believe what he was hearing and stated that Puerto Ricans deserve respect and recognition for their contributions to society.
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