COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

Bad Bunny took center stage at the Super Bowl LX halftime show on Sunday, delivering a performance packed with Puerto Rican pride that had his hometown of Vega Baja buzzing with excitement. The Puerto Rican superstar, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, turned Levi?s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, into a celebration of Latin culture during the matchup between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks.

In Vega Baja, about 40 kilometers west of San Juan, residents gathered in the municipal square to catch the action on a giant screen. Retired teacher Madeline Miranda, 75, who once taught a young Benito at the local secondary school, led the cheers. She danced and shouted along, recalling her former student as quiet and disciplined. ?He brought to the Super Bowl what we Puerto Ricans are,? Miranda said. ?He represents the community well.?

Around 100 people of all ages showed up, many with beach chairs and drinks in hand. American football holds little appeal here, but Bad Bunny?s appearance changed that. When he kicked off with ?Tití Me Preguntó,? the crowd erupted. Flags waved, and applause filled the air as he paid tribute to his roots through lyrics and stage design, including nods to Puerto Rico?s landscapes and a ?Casita? setup evoking island life.

The show featured surprise guests like Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Karol G, and Pedro Pascal, amplifying the Latin energy. Bad Bunny performed mostly in Spanish, a historic first for the Super Bowl, and displayed flags from across Latin America, including Costa Rica, to emphasize unity. He closed with a message on a billboard: ?The only thing more powerful than hate is love,? amid backlash from conservative critics in the U.S., including former President Donald Trump, who called the performance ?terrible? on social media.

Back in Vega Baja, the event inspired locals. David Fontanez, a 66-year-old retiree, expressed pride in seeing a hometown hero affirm Puerto Rico?s global presence. ?This shows our impact in the United States and beyond,? he said.

Fourteen-year-old Pedro Meléndez Barrio viewed Bad Bunny as a role model. ?If he made it this far, I can too,? he said. The artist has long championed his origins, holding 31 concerts in Puerto Rico last year to support the local economy.

Madeline García, 31, appreciated how Bad Bunny highlighted Puerto Rico?s unique status as a U.S. territory, where residents hold citizenship but lack full voting rights. ?He reflected our culture and the immigrant experience,? she said. ?We are part of the United States, and Spanish is our language, but many speak English too.?

The performance drew over 130 million viewers, breaking records for a Latin artist. Here in Costa Rica, fans echoed the sentiment, with social media posts celebrating the shared Latin heritage. Bad Bunny?s set not only entertained but also sparked conversations about identity and inclusion on a massive stage.