Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D–N.Y.) campaign spent nearly $50,000 in Puerto Rico between late June and September, according to third-quarter federal campaign finance records. The spending included lodging at two upscale San Juan hotels, thousands of dollars in meals and catering, and more than $23,000 labeled as “venue rental” tied to the Coliseo de Puerto Rico (also known as “El Choli”) in San Juan.
Social media videos from an August trip showed Ocasio-Cortez visiting a housing development and criticizing gentrification. Separate clips from the same period appeared to show her in box seats at a Bad Bunny concert on Aug. 10 alongside Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D–N.Y.). Bad Bunny held a multi-show residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in August and September that drew numerous celebrities.
Lodging totals over $15,000, filings indicate
The campaign’s Q3 filings (covering July 1 through Sept. 30) list payments to Hotel Palacio Provincial and Hotel El Convento in San Juan.
Reported payments include:
- $680.52 to Hotel Palacio Provincial on July 28
- $1,507.26 to Hotel Palacio Provincial on Aug. 29
- $9,440.79 to Hotel Palacio Provincial on Sept. 29
- $3,861.20 to Hotel El Convento on Aug. 25 (the filing notes a connection between the properties)
In total, the filings list $15,489.77 in Puerto Rico lodging expenses during the quarter.
Meals and catering exceed $10,000
The same report lists $10,743.13 in Puerto Rico costs categorized as “catering” and “meals,” dated Aug. 25 and Sept. 29. Vendors include San Juan restaurants such as Cocina Abierta, Cocina al Fondo, and Verde Mesa.
“Venue rental” at the Puerto Rico coliseum tops $23,000
The filings also show two payments—dated June 24 and Aug. 25—totaling more than $23,000 for “Venue Rental” to the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, where Bad Bunny’s concerts were held, including on Aug. 10.
The report notes it could not confirm whether the payments related to multiple visits, or whether the first payment functioned as a deposit with a later final payment.
Campaign response
Ocasio-Cortez 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 that she is “deeply proud of her investment in grassroots organizing” and said she will continue advocating for Puerto Ricans on the island and in the diaspora.
Additional travel and dining spending elsewhere
The same Q3 filing also lists other campaign spending on hotels and food outside Puerto Rico, including during the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I–Vt.).
Examples in the filing include:
- Nearly $5,000 at Hotel Vermont in Burlington
- Nearly $2,000 at Thompson Central Park in New York City
- Nearly $3,000 at Arlo Williamsburg in Brooklyn
The filing also lists various restaurant and catering charges, including a $6,300 bill at a D.C. restaurant called Ama, $4,500 for ice cream from Mr. Ding-a-ling Ice Cream in Latham, New York, and $4,400 in catering from D.C.-area chef Caleb Jang. Additional restaurant charges listed in the filing include El Secreto De Rosita (D.C.), Hen of the Wood (Vermont), Central Park Boathouse, and Mottley Kitchen (Bronx), with totals described as exceeding $7,000.
