Political | Process

The congresswoman who leads the so-called Squad criticized gentrification on the island on social media. 

Elsewhere on the island, Ocasio-Cortez was seen dancing with Brooklyn Rep. Nydia Velázquez at an August Bad Bunny concert in San Juan, part of the artist’s anti-ICE “Residency tour.” The campaign also spent over $23,000 on “venue rental” at Coliseo de Puerto Rico on June 24 and August 25, though it’s not clear if these charges are tied to the Bad Bunny events.

A campaign spokesperson stated that Ocasio-Cortez frequently travels to Puerto Rico to support local causes and host events that require staff and security, adding that she takes pride in grassroots organizing and will continue advocating for Puerto Rico and the millions in diaspora.

The “first-class,” “adults only” Hotel Palacio Provincial boasts of being “situated within an historic early 19th century building” with “transcendent hints of the structure’s grand colonial past” — even as the “Squad” rep on her social media accounts denounced gentrification that was taking place on the island while visiting in August.
Hotel Palacio Provincial

Throughout the quarter, additional overseas hotel and dining expenses appeared as part of the “Fighting Oligarchy” effort with Senator Bernie Sanders, including $6,600 for stays at Hotel Vermont in Burlington, Vermont. The campaign also used funds for about $2,000 in lodging at the Thompson Central Park Hotel in Manhattan and $3,000 at Arlo Williamsburg in Brooklyn, with other charges comprising $6,300 for a meal at Ama in Navy Yard, DC, and $11,500 for dining across DC, Vermont, the Bronx, and Latham, NY.

Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign spending in Puerto Rico and elsewhere raises serious questions about consistency between her public advocacy and personal political choices.

While she champions economic justice and condemns gentrification, her campaign’s use of funds for luxury hotels, high-end meals, and event rentals paints a conflicting picture. The episode deepens skepticism about whether progressive politicians truly live by the values they promote, suggesting that the line between activism and political indulgence can quickly blur.