AOC’s campaign spends nearly $50K on Puerto Rico hotels, dining and Bad Bunny venue

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign shelled out nearly $50K in Puerto Rico, including luxury hotels, meals, and renting a Bad Bunny venue
UPDATED DEC 12, 2025
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spent more than $15,000 on two San Juan hotels during her campaign trip (Tom Williams/Pool/ via Getty Images)
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spent more than $15,000 on two San Juan hotels during her campaign trip (Tom Williams/Pool/ via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign is making headlines, not for policy initiatives, but for how it has been spending its funds.

Between late June and September, the campaign spent nearly $50,000 in Puerto Rico, covering luxury hotels, high-end meals, and a striking $23,000 venue rental at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. This is the arena where Ocasio-Cortez was seen enjoying a suite during a Bad Bunny concert in August.

The campaign’s third-quarter federal filings show $10,743.13 was spent on “catering” and “meals.”

AOC campaign spends big on Puerto Rico hotels, meals, and concert venues

Third-quarter filings, covering July 1 through September 30, reveal that Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign paid more than $15,000 for stays at two San Juan hotels. The documents also list over $10,500 for meals and catering.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) listens during a mark up meeting with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce committee on Capitol Hill on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. The committee met to discuss legislative recommendations for budget reconciliation. The committee room was surrounded by protesters fearing cuts or increased costs to medicaid. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attended a House Committee on Energy and Commerce markup meeting in May 2025 (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Videos from Ocasio-Cortez’s August trip circulated widely. Some clips showed her visiting a housing project to speak about gentrification, while others captured her dancing in box seats at the Bad Bunny concert on August 10 with Rep. Nydia Velázquez.



Between August and September, Bad Bunny performed 31 shows at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, attracting celebrities such as LeBron James, Iggy Azalea, Penélope Cruz, and Austin Butler. Federal Election Commission (FEC) records list payments to Hotel Palacio Provincial and Hotel El Convento.

On July 28, the campaign paid $680.52 to Hotel Palacio Provincial, followed by $1,507.26 on August 29 and $9,440.79 on September 29. Another $3,861.20 went to Hotel El Convento on August 25, which owns the Palacio Provincial property. Lodging expenses totaled $15,489.77.

Payments on August 25 and September 29 covered meals at upscale San Juan restaurants, including Cocina Abierta, Cocina al Fondo, and Verde Mesa. These expenditures coincided with Ocasio-Cortez’s public advocacy against gentrification.

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 08: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks during a news confere
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke during a news conference at the US Capitol in December 2021 (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

AOC campaign manager defends spending

Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign manager, Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben, told Fox News Digital that she “regularly travels to Puerto Rico to support local causes and host events that require both staff and security.”

He added, “She is deeply proud of her investment in grassroots organizing and will continue to be active in advocating for both people on the island and the millions of Puerto Ricans in the diaspora.”

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