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eNCA
30-07-2025
- Business
- eNCA
'Class war': outsiders moving to Puerto Rico trigger displacement
Gloria Cuevas thought she would live forever in her pink, century-old house on Puerto Rico's west coast -- but then her landlord decided to transform the home into an Airbnb. Cuevas left her home -- now purple and split in two -- and her beloved city for another further south, forced out by the rising cost of living and an explosion of short-term rentals on the US Caribbean island territory. Puerto Rico -- long a draw for sun-worshipping tourists -- is also a hotspot for foreign investment and offers tax incentives to attract outsiders. "At first, I couldn't come back here," Cuevas, 68, told AFP, gazing at the home she once made her own. "It made me feel sad and angry at the same time." AFP | Ricardo ARDUENGO Cuevas's experience is becoming an all too familiar tale across the island, where signs promote mansions for sale, and the Airbnb logo is plastered on homes where locals once lived. Intensifying Puerto Rico's gentrification are laws that encourage primarily wealthy mainland Americans to move there in exchange for preferential tax treatment. The program originally enacted in 2012 was meant to spur economic growth and attract investment on the island, an unincorporated territory under US control since 1898. AFP | Ricardo ARDUENGO Those relocating must acquire residency and buy property to keep the significant incentives -- but many Puerto Ricans as well as some US lawmakers say this is driving up housing prices and encouraging tax evasion. "Colonialism kills us, it suffocates us," Cuevas said. "It's a global theme. It's a class war." - 'Unfair' - Ricki Rebeiro, 30, moved to San Juan more than a year ago, bringing his packaging and marketing business that services cannabis companies with him. He told AFP that basing his work in Puerto Rico saves his company millions of dollars annually, and that he pays zero personal income tax -- what amounts to the equivalent of "a whole second income" that he says he tries to reinvest locally. AFP | Ricardo ARDUENGO "I believe that the locals are probably upset that they're not reaping the same benefits of somebody like me," said the entrepreneur, whose family is based in Pennsylvania and Oklahoma. The system is "unfair," Rebeiro said, "but I also don't believe that I should be the one to blame for that. I didn't structure the program." Puerto Ricans in recent years have slammed their government for what they say is a hyperfocus on outsiders at the expense of locals, as the rich -- including people like the famous content creator-turned-boxer Jake Paul -- move in. - 'This is ours' - AFP | Ricardo ARDUENGO In Cabo Rojo, a seaside city about an hour's drive south of Rincon on the island's western coast, some residents are taking the matter into their own hands. During a recent canvassing effort, a group of activists urged their neighbors to protest a project called Esencia, which aims to build a $2 billion luxury resort and residential development on coastal land. Dafne Javier said her family goes back generations in this area -- her great-grandfather was the last mayor in the municipality under Spanish occupation, and the first under US rule. The 77-year-old told AFP the Esencia project would "totally change the landscape," saying it would create a gated town within a town and predicting that wealthy newcomers "won't mix with us." Protesters noted that the planned development would be in the vicinity of protected areas. They say it would destroy the natural habitat of some endangered species, while exacerbating problems with potable water, electricity supply and trash pick-up. AFP | Ricardo ARDUENGO Roberto Ruiz Vargas -- COO of Three Rules Capital, the developer behind Esencia -- disputes those notions, and told AFP that "from the outset, our intention has been to develop the land responsibly and sensitively, minimizing impact." He pointed to plans to power the development primarily with solar energy. He also said developers were working with both the water authority and the Department of Natural Resources to "address concerns about our water sources" including "independent systems that will reuse rainwater and treated wastewater for irrigation uses." Ruiz Vargas said developers estimate the project will directly create more than 4,000 jobs, and thousands more across the island. But protestors said an influx of wealthy new residents will exacerbate inequality. Christopher Powers is married to a Puerto Rican with whom he has children, and has lived in Cabo Rojo for 20 years. He vehemently opposes the project. "They have no idea what they're destroying, and if they do have an idea what they're destroying, then they should be ashamed," he told AFP of the developers. "Not only is it ecologically destructive, not only will it be an economic disaster for those of us who live here, but it's also against the sort of spirit or values of the Caborojinos." AFP | Ricardo ARDUENGO Cuevas is hopeful her story and others like it will crystallize for her fellow Puerto Ricans what they stand to lose. "We have to keep fighting. We have to educate our youth. Have you heard of Bad Bunny?" she said, referring to the Puerto Rican global superstar whose music and current residency in San Juan has amplified discussion of gentrification and cultural dilution, on the island and beyond. "This is ours," Cuevas said. "We're not going to leave."
Toronto Sun
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
'A LEGEND': Bad Bunny brings Puerto Rican pride to epic show
Published Jul 12, 2025 • 4 minute read Bad Bunny performs during the first show of his 30-date concert residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan Photo by Ricardo ARDUENGO / AFP Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account San Juan (AFP) — Bad Bunny's sweeping first concert of his three-month Puerto Rico residency was a night of palpable emotion for the megastar whose latest smash artistic endeavour brings his global stardom back to his roots. The marathon show in San Juan late Friday was flush with styles — from club beats and high-octane salsa to folkloric dance and soulful acoustics. At one point, the enormously popular Bad Bunny — born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — appeared to pause to soak in the moment, breaking into a heartfelt smile as he gazed out at his thousands of ecstatic compatriots. An aerial view shows people queing outside the Coliseo de Puerto Rico to attend the first night of Bad Bunny's highly anticipated residency in San JuanRicardo ARDUENGO/AFP Photo by Ricardo ARDUENGO / AFP Savoring the present and honoring the past is a lesson taken from the 31-year-old's sixth album 'Debi Tirar Mas Fotos' ('I Should Have Taken More Photos') and a theme the residency is celebrating, with a full-throated ode to Puerto Rican heritage. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The ambitious setlist included many of Bad Bunny's most recent tracks that underscore injustices in the US Caribbean island territory, but the evening was one of celebration: a lens on Puerto Rico that focuses on its resistance, pride and joy. The first song was previously unreleased, and there were no details on whether the track will eventually have an official drop. US basketball player LeBron James attends the first show of Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny's residencyRicardo ARDUENGO/AFP Photo by Ricardo ARDUENGO / AFP Some fans online speculated that perhaps he'll keep it exclusive to the residency. That would be a fitting move for the artist who, after a blazing burst to global fame that saw him briefly move to Los Angeles, has returned home and intensified his efforts to make music about Puerto Ricans, for Puerto Ricans. The first nine shows of his 30-concert stretch, which will take over San Juan's Coliseo for consecutive three-day weekends into September, are only open to Puerto Rican residents — and the odd celebrity like LeBron James, who attended Friday night. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Bad Bunny's residency pays homage to Puerto Rican culture and history while also showcasing his immense rangeRicardo ARDUENGO/AFP Photo by Ricardo ARDUENGO / AFP The night paid homage to Puerto Rican culture and history — including with percussive plena music and bomba-infused rhythms — but it was also a career retrospective of sorts, showcasing the immense range that Bad Bunny has exhibited since his major breakthrough less than a decade ago. The show featured the heavy Latin trap of his 2018 hit 'La Romana' and the 2020 club smash 'Yo Perreo Sola' — shining examples of his earlier work in reggaeton that catapulted him to stardom. 'His reggaeton never fails,' student John Hernandez Ramirez said ahead of the concert. The 21-year-old said he was drawn to Bad Bunny for the heart-pounding beats. But more recently, he said he has been inspired by the artist's lyrical evolution. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hailing from a rural area of Puerto Rico, Hernandez Ramirez said he found particular resonance in 'Lo Que Paso a Hawaii' — Bad Bunny's exploration of gentrification, detrimental tourism and the colonization of both the state and his homeland. A Bad Bunny wears a rabbit mask as fans wait to see the first concert of his residencyRicardo ARDUENGO/AFP Photo by Ricardo ARDUENGO / AFP Bad Bunny highlighted those issues in the lead-up to the concert, projecting historical facts onto a big screen over the lush, tropical set on which chickens roamed freely. Many of the sentiments drew enormous cheers from spectators as they filed in. 'Puerto Rico has been a colony since Christopher Columbus 'discovered' the island during his second voyage to the New World in 1493,' one read, with a parenthetical explaining that 'the Taino tribe already inhabited the island.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Part of Bad Bunny's stage design included a house built in the island's typical style, which had featured in a short film he made starring legendary Puerto Rican filmmaker Jacobo Morales — clips of which also appeared on the big screen. From atop the structure, Bad Bunny delivered some of his most iconic songs, including the recent 'Nuevayol' along with 'Titi me pregunto.' He then returned to the main stage for a hip-swiveling salsa sequence, wearing a 1970s-style tailored suit in the style of the genre's icons who preceded him. Bad Bunny's show at the Coliseo de San Juan clocked in at three hoursRicardo ARDUENGO/AFP Photo by Ricardo ARDUENGO / AFP Streamers in the colours of the Puerto Rican flag burst from the ceiling as he led fans in a mesmerizing medley that included 'Baile Inolvidable,' accompanied by a full band. The show clocked in at three hours but fans — many adorned in flag attire and others sporting baseball jerseys of the Puerto Rican baseball legend Roberto Clemente — couldn't get enough. Marta Cuellar, a 61-year-old Colombian and longtime Puerto Rican resident, told AFP that the series of concerts is a great way to celebrate the island — and a gift to Latin American culture more generally. 'Bad Bunny,' she said, 'is going to be a legend.' Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances. Columnists World Editorial Cartoons World Relationships
