The support from Puerto Rican artists like Nicky Jam and Anuel AA for Donald Trump's re-election campaign has surprised and angered many. For instance, the band Maná reacted harshly, showing no sympathy.
However, René Pérez, better known as "Residente" from the duo Calle 13, who is friends with both artists, offered a different perspective. In an interview with Jorge Ramos on Univision's show Al Punto: con Jorge Ramos, René shared his thoughts, surprising many with his calm approach to the subject. This wasn't his usual style.
René even addressed Maná's decision to remove a collaboration with Nicky Jam from their catalog, including all digital platforms. The band stated, "We don't work with racists."
"It's complicated. I don't think it's an act of racism, as Maná said. I think it's more about misinformation. If they had all the facts about what Donald Trump has done to Puerto Rico, I don't believe they would be supporting him. And I say this respectfully because I understand that everyone has their perspective. I think it's a lack of information," René explained.
Puerto Ricans' Problem with Trump
René was referring to Trump's actions during his visit to Puerto Rico in 2020, which came in the wake of Hurricane Maria's devastation. Trump mishandled the situation in several ways, most notably when he was caught on camera throwing paper towels to the crowd.
Later, Miles Taylor, the former Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security, revealed in an interview with MSNBC that during an August 2018 meeting, Trump had asked if Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory since 1898, could be traded for Greenland. Trump allegedly said Puerto Rico was "dirty" and its people were "poor."
A month later, Trump questioned a George Washington University study that found the death toll from Hurricanes Maria and Irma was not 64, as initially reported, but 2,975. "3,000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico," Trump wrote on Twitter, now known as X.
As further proof of Trump's disrespect, René pointed to a recent event in Las Vegas where Trump introduced Nicky Jam as a "hot woman" before inviting him to speak at a political rally.
Donald Trump mistakes Nicky Jam for a woman at his Las Vegas rally before Jam formally endorsed him.
— Complex (@Complex) September 15, 2024
“Do you know Nicky? She’s hot!”pic.twitter.com/TBCFqhNdAr
"It upset me to see how he treated them, especially when he mistook Nicky (Jam) for a woman and didn't even publicly apologize. It bothers me, especially after how he treated Puerto Ricans during Hurricane Maria... it was horrible," René added.
@alpuntounivision 📌 René Pérez ‘Residente’ habla de su debut como protagonista en la película ‘In The Summers’, cinta que recibió Gran Premio del Jurado en el Festival de Cine de Sundance. El artista, en entrevista con @JorgeRamosNews, también dio su opinión sobre la actitud del candidato presidencial Donald Trump hacia los puertorriqueños. La entrevista completa este domingo 22 de septiembre a las 11 am/10 am CT en #AlPunto por @Univision. #René #RenéPérez #Trump #DonaldTrump #NickyJam #PR #PuertoRico ♬ sonido original - Al Punto con Jorge Ramos
René's Support for Bernie Sanders in 2016
So far, René has not endorsed any candidate in the U.S. presidential elections. Known for his leftist leanings, he openly supported Bernie Sanders during the 2016 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
"For more than 30 years, Bernie Sanders has fought for hard-working people and the lower classes of the U.S.," René said at the time, alongside a video featuring some of Sanders' most important speeches throughout his career.
René's support went beyond words; he appeared at a Sanders rally in New York on March 31, 2016.
"I support Bernie Sanders because he has been the only candidate offering logical options and showing solidarity with my country's debt. He didn't do it now, during the election season, to gain votes, but from the moment the economic crisis began. I support Bernie Sanders because I believe he's the most honest candidate... I support him because he's the only one who boldly stands up to the majority to defend human rights, like for the LGBT community," René said at the time.
His friendship with Sanders led to other moments of collaboration, such as when they spoke together in Washington about anti-immigrant laws in 2017 and when René interviewed Sanders at his home in 2019.
What's Residente Up to Now?
René appeared on Jorge Ramos' show to discuss his latest film project, In the Summers, which stars him alongside former DC Comics Latina stars Leslie Grace and Sasha Calle. The story, set across four periods, follows two sisters who visit their father, who lives far from them.
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