In the wake of comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s disparaging comments about Puerto Rico during a Donald Trump rally, a coalition of five prominent Puerto Rican celebrities has stepped up to show their support for Vice President Kamala Harris. Collectively, these stars boast an impressive following of approximately 340 million on Instagram, demonstrating the immense potential for celebrity influence in political discourse.
Hinchcliffe made headlines after referring to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage,” a remark that drew swift condemnation from both sides of the political aisle. Figures such as former Trump administration member Peter Navarro and Republican Representative Mike Lawler expressed their disapproval, highlighting the offensive nature of the joke. In a response to the backlash, Danielle Alvarez, a senior adviser for the Trump campaign, clarified in an email to Newsweek that Hinchcliffe’s comment did not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.
Leading the charge of support for Harris are global icons Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin. Lopez, a powerhouse in the entertainment industry, commands over 250 million followers on Instagram and has 44 million followers on X (formerly Twitter). Utilizing her platforms, she promoted the Harris campaign’s response to Hinchcliffe’s joke and shared Harris’s initiatives aimed at supporting Puerto Rico. Her post on X garnered a staggering 2.7 million views.
Alongside Lopez, a lineup of celebrated Puerto Rican artists has also voiced their support. Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, and Luis Fonsi all echoed similar sentiments through their Instagram accounts over the weekend. Their combined follower count on the platform totals an astounding 343 million, amplifying their political impact significantly.
Lopez’s influence on Instagram is reflected in her A+ ranking by SocialBlade, a social media analytics platform. This rating indicates that her account possesses a remarkably high level of influence, based on various metrics. Martin, Fonsi, and Bad Bunny also hold strong influence rankings, receiving A ratings, while Anthony, with an A- rating, remains influential as well.
Although measuring the immediate impact of their endorsements can be challenging—many posts appeared as Instagram Stories, which vanish after 24 hours and do not allow public comments—some metrics reveal noteworthy trends. Bad Bunny, for example, experienced a surge of over 42,000 new followers after voicing his support for Harris, despite a prior trend of losing followers daily for ten days straight. Martin, too, saw a boost, gaining approximately 10,000 followers over just two days, marking his most significant growth since mid-October.
On the other hand, Lopez experienced a loss of about 25,000 followers, a figure that aligns with her recent social media fluctuations and doesn’t seem particularly alarming in the grand scheme. Fonsi has maintained a steady growth rate, while Anthony’s follower count has shown variability over the past weeks.
As these Puerto Rican celebrities continue to rally behind Harris, their combined voices serve not only to support a political candidate but also to amplify the issues facing Puerto Rico. Their influence could play a crucial role in engaging younger voters and reshaping conversations around key political topics in a polarized landscape.
In a time when celebrity endorsements can sway public opinion, the power of these Puerto Rican icons demonstrates how social media can bridge the gap between entertainment and activism. As they amplify Kamala Harris’s message, their actions underscore the potential of celebrity influence in mobilizing communities and inspiring change.
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