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Bad Bunny Sends a Heartfelt Message to Fellow Puerto Ricans

After the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, Benito offered words of encouragement to the Latino community

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Recently, Bad Bunny has been reconnecting with his Puerto Rican roots in a much more visible way. While he’s always been proud of his country throughout his career, he’s been showing it more openly lately. In a heartfelt interview where he was moved to tears talking about the current situation in Puerto Rico, he released his song ‘Una Velita’ (A Little Candle).

The song, produced by fellow Puerto Rican artists Tainy and La Paciencia, dropped on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Maria’s devastation in Puerto Rico. With a somber melody and powerful symbolism, Bad Bunny uses the track to express his frustration with the political issues the island is facing.

It’s important to remember that Hurricane Maria (2017) was one of the most destructive hurricanes in the island’s history, causing thousands of deaths and about $90 billion in damages. Recovery has been slow, and many Puerto Ricans are still dealing with the aftermath, keeping the memory of the disaster very much alive.

Bad Bunny’s Message

Florida is one of the most hurricane-prone states in the U.S., if not the most. In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene formed, becoming the deadliest cyclone since Katrina in 2005. Its devastating path through the southeastern U.S. has resulted in over 200 deaths.

Social media reports have gone viral, showing many people still without access to clean water, while the state remains in an emergency, with ongoing searches for missing persons. To make matters worse, Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm, is now threatening Florida again.

In response, with ‘Una Velita’ playing in the background, Bad Bunny expressed his support on Instagram, saying: “To the large Puerto Rican community in Florida, especially those who came here after surviving María… PR is with you! No matter where you go in the world, we’ll always have each other.”

Benito mentioned the devastating Hurricane Maria and his fellow Puerto Ricans because of the context, but he didn’t forget about anyone else. In another Instagram story, after someone commented, ‘What about the Mexicans?’, Bunny responded: “To all Latinos AND human beings AND living creatures in Florida!!! But there’s a big Puerto Rican community in that specific area, and as a Puerto Rican, I wanted to send them that message. But strength to everyone!!!” he added. “Plus, I have family and friends in those cities,” he concluded.