(NewsNation) — Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled a new policy platform for Puerto Rico on Sunday, targeting the Latino vote ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election through promises of economic development and improved disaster response.
While residents of Puerto Rico cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections despite being American citizens, the message was aimed at more than 5.8 million people of Puerto Rican origin living on the mainland who can vote, according to Pew Research Center.
The announcement gained additional visibility when Puerto Rican music star Bad Bunny shared Harris’ video message on Instagram, highlighting her criticism of former President Donald Trump‘s response to Hurricane Maria in 2017.
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“Throughout my career, I’ve always fought for the people of Puerto Rico,” Harris said in the video. “Every chance he got, Donald Trump abandoned and insulted them.”
Harris outlined several initiatives, including creating a Puerto Rico Opportunity Economy Task Force to foster economic growth and create thousands of new jobs. She also promised to accelerate disaster recovery funds and modernize the island’s electrical grid, which still experiences daily outages.
“I will cut red tape to ensure disaster recovery funds are used quickly and effectively, and work with leaders across the island to ensure all Puerto Ricans have access to reliable, affordable electricity,” Harris said.
A speaker at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday spent a portion of his time attacking Puerto Rico, drawing backlash from Democrats and the Harris campaign.
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who goes by Kill Tony, delivered a set to the crowd ahead of the former president’s speech. “There’s a lot going on. Like I don’t know if you know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” Hinchcliffe said, eliciting mixed reactions from the crowd.
Harris campaign aides noted that Hinchcliffe’s remarks came as the vice president was in Philadelphia speaking at a Puerto Rican restaurant.
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Other Democrats pointed out that hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans live in Pennsylvania, which is shaping up to be one of the most critical battlegrounds on Election Day.
The policy proposal release follows Harris’ March 22 visit to Puerto Rico, where she toured hurricane recovery efforts. During the five-hour visit, Harris visited a rebuilt home in Canovanas that Hurricane Maria had destroyed.
“I see we are making a difference. There is still more work to do,” Harris said during the visit, noting that the federal government has provided about $3 billion for reliable energy sources, including rooftop solar panels.
The visit wasn’t without controversy. A small group of protesters gathered in San Juan to demonstrate against Puerto Rico’s territorial status and demand a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. Some protesters chanted “Yankee, go home!” while supporters responded with chants of “U.S.A.!”
NewsNation’s Jackie Koppell, Kellie Meyer, The Hill and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
