Foreigner Allegedly Burns Down Bars in Puerto Rico and Locals Demand Accountability

Foreigner Allegedly Burns Down Bars in Puerto Rico and Locals Demand Accountability

Puerto Rico burned this past week — not just from the literal flames that engulfed three beloved businesses, but from the deeper frustration simmering across the island.  

In the early hours of this past Thursday morning, a tourist allegedly set fire to Marinera Restaurant, Bar Marea Combate, and Artesanías Juavia. The story sounds like a drunken act of destruction, but locals know it’s more than that. It’s a symbol of the unchecked entitlement brought by foreign visitors who, thanks to policies like Act 22, have reshaped the island at the expense of its people. 

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Según publicaciones en las redes sociales y una carta de una concejala, la presunta responsable de quemar tres negocios locales en Cabo Rojo el pasado 2 de enero se llama Danielle Bertothy, manejadora de cuenta de la agencia de mercadeo establecida en St. Louis, Missouri, HLK Agency. Gracias a una carta publicada por la primera latina de ascendencia puertorriqueña electa de la Junta de Concejales de St. Louis, Daniela Velázquez, la compañía reaccionó con las siguientes palabras: “Nos sorprendió enterarnos del evento en Puerto Rico esta tarde. Aún no hemos sido contactados por las autoridades ni en Puerto Rico ni en Missouri, pero estamos listos para cooperar en su investigación si así lo solicitan. Después de enterarnos de esto, decidimos suspender a la Sra. Bertothy de inmediato en espera de obtener más información. Estamos indignados por este acto sin sentido y esperamos que las autoridades puedan abordarlo de manera oportuna.” La carta de Velázquez exigía que “si bien el sistema legal determinará la verdad, las acusaciones son graves y entran directamente en conflicto con los valores declarados de su empresa: rechazar el odio, promover el respeto y fomentar la diversidad. Les insto a: 1. Tomar en serio las acusaciones y cooperar plenamente con las autoridades de Puerto Rico. 2. Fomentar la rendición de cuentas asegurándose de que la Sra. Bertothy se entregue y coopere con la investigación. 3. Reevaluar su situación laboral si las acusaciones son ciertas, ya que estas acciones violan los principios que defiende su agencia…” También el teniente Ismael Cartagena, director de la División de Explosivos de la Policía, informó que abandonó Puerto Rico el mismo día de los hechos. El fuego afectó severamente los locales Marinera Restaurant, Bar Marea Combate y Artesanías Juavia, además de causar daños menores en Luighy’s Seaside Hotel. #JugandoPelotaDura 🎥Calle Comercio Brand 📸Fotocapturas de redes sociales

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From Paradise to Playground

For decades, Puerto Rico has marketed itself as a tropical escape for tourists. But in recent years, the island has become a playground for outsiders with no respect for its culture or residents. Policies like Act 22, which grant significant tax breaks to wealthy individuals relocating to Puerto Rico, have drawn an influx of gringos who view the island as a personal paradise. 

The consequences have been devastating. Locals are being priced out of their neighborhoods and forced to watch as their homes become short-term rentals for tourists. The cost of living has skyrocketed. Puerto Ricans are leaving their own island because they can no longer afford to live there. 

And now, it seems, tourists aren’t content with displacing locals. They’ve begun destroying what remains. 

Puerto Rico Burns

According to posts shared by business owners, the tourist responsible for the Cabo Rojo fires had been causing trouble throughout the evening. Witnesses described her as erratic, aggressive, and allegedly intoxicated. Police intervened twice, escorting her back to her accommodations rather than detaining her. 

Hours later, she allegedly returned with gasoline and set fire to three businesses — Marinera Restaurant, Bar Marea Combate, and Artesanías Juavia. Nearby, Luighy’s Seaside Hotel also suffered damage, and guests had to be evacuated for safety. 

Locals are outraged. Their frustration isn’t just about the destruction of these businesses, which were staples in the community. It’s about what the incident represents: a continuation of the entitlement that has come with Puerto Rico’s tourism boom. 

The Island Is Sinking

The flames in Cabo Rojo are a stark metaphor for what’s happening across Puerto Rico. The island is sinking under the weight of policies that favor outsiders over residents. Foreign investors and tourists, enticed by tax breaks and lax regulations, are transforming communities without regard for the people who live there. 

Let’s face it: Gentrification is erasing the landscape and the island’s culture. Puerto Rico is losing its soul, replaced by boutique hotels, trendy restaurants, and luxury developments that cater to foreigners. The locals who built these communities are being pushed out. 

Now, they’re watching as tourists destroy what little they have left. 

A Community Left to Rebuild

Cabo Rojo’s small businesses will have to rebuild. But the bigger question remains: How does Puerto Rico rebuild itself when its very identity is under threat? 

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