According to federal campaign finance records filed with the Federal Election Commission for the third quarter of 2025, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign organization spent nearly $50,000 in Puerto Rico between June and September on luxury hotel stays and high-end meals.
The records also indicate that $23,000 was allocated to a venue rental at the same arena in San Juan where Ocasio-Cortez was captured dancing in a suite during a Bad Bunny concert in August—a month she delivered a speech on gentrification.
In a published statement, her campaign manager, Oliver Hidalgo-Wohlleben, stated that “the New York Democrat regularly travels to Puerto Rico to support local causes and host events that require both staff and security.” He added that Ocasio-Cortez 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.”
Federal Election Commission filings further reveal the campaign paid more than $15,000 at two San Juan luxury hotels—the Hotel Palacio Provincial and Hotel El Convento—and over $10,000 on catering services. On July 28 alone, payments totaled $680.52 to Hotel Palacio Provincial, followed by $1,507.26 on August 29, and $9,440.79 on September 29.
The documents also show the campaign spent thousands of dollars at exclusive restaurants in San Juan, including Cocina Abierta, Cocina al Fondo, and Verde Mesa. Additionally, between June 24 and August 25, the campaign paid $23,000 for venue rental at the location where Bad Bunny held multiple concerts, including a show on August 10 when Ocasio-Cortez was seen attending in box seats.
The filings also detail significant spending within the United States during the third quarter, including nearly $5,000 at the Hotel Vermont in Burlington and almost $2,000 for a stay at the Thompson Central Park Hotel in New York City. Campaign expenditures extended to high-end dining options such as ice cream from Mr. Ding-a-ling Ice Cream in Latham, New York, and catering services from a D.C.-area executive chef.
