Maná removes song with Nicky Jam in protest of his support for Trump

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican pop-rock band Maná has removed its 2016 song with Nicky Jam after the Puerto Rican reggaeton singer expressed his support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

“Maná does not work with racists,” the group said in an Instagram post explaining the decision to remove “De pies a cabeza” from online platforms. The song is a remix of the 1992 original included on Maná’s classic album ”¿Dónde jugarán los niños?”

“For the last 30 years Maná has supported and defended the rights of Latinos in the world. There is no business or promotion that is worth more than the dignity of our people,” the band wrote on Instagram.

Jam, known for songs such as “Travesuras,” “Voy a Beber” and the J Balvin collaboration “X” expressed his support for Trump last Friday at a rally in Las Vegas. When introducing the singer, Trump seemed to mistake him for a woman: “Latin Music superstar Nicky Jam! Do you know Nicky, she’s hot. Where’s Nicky?” he said.

Despite the confusion, Jam expressed pleasure at meeting Trump, who since his first presidential campaign has promised to close the border and espoused harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Maná has supported the cause of migrants in the United States for more than two decades. In 2018, upon receiving the Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year award, their vocalist Fher Olvera promised: “We will continue to fight for the rights of migrants who have made this country great; in the last century, they were the difference for this country to be as great as it is.”

A representative for Jam did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for comment. A representative for Maná confirmed the band's statement, but did not offer further details.

Founded in Jalisco, Mexico, Maná has been awarded six Latin Grammys and four Grammys and is one of the most influential bands in Latin America. It also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In addition to Maná, a long list of artists have requested that their music not be associated with or used by Trump, including ABBA, The White Stripes, Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Pharrell, R.E.M. and Guns N’ Roses.

Nicky Jam speaks as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump listens during a campaign event at the World Market Center, Friday, Sept.13, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, greets Nicky Jam during a campaign event at the World Market Center, Friday, Sept.13, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, greets Nicky Jam during a campaign event at the World Market Center, Friday, Sept.13, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Nicky Jam speaks as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump listens during a campaign event at the World Market Center, Friday, Sept.13, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Nicky Jam speaks as Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump listens during a campaign event at the World Market Center, Friday, Sept.13, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

FILE - Sergio Vallin, from left, Juan Calleros, Fher Olvera and Alex Gonzalez, of Mana, appear at the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year gala in their honor on Nov. 14, 2018. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, greets Nicky Jam during a campaign event at the World Market Center, Friday, Sept.13, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

MIAMI (AP) — People across Florida were given notice Sunday that Milton, for now just a tropical storm off the coast of Mexico, could intensify rapidly into a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast.

Tropical Storm Milton's center was about 860 miles (1,385 kilometers) west-southwest of Tampa, Florida, early Sunday, heading east at 5 mph (7 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

“Milton is moving slowly but is expected to strengthen rapidly,” the center said. “There is increasing confidence that a powerful hurricane with life-threatening hazards will be affecting portions of the Florida west coast around the middle of this week.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday that while it remains to be seen just where Milton will strike, it's clear that Florida is going to be hit hard.

“You have time to prepare — all day today, all day Monday, probably all day Tuesday to be sure your hurricane preparedness plan is in place,” the governor said. “Know your evacuation zone — there will be mandatory and voluntary evacuations.”

DeSantis said as many as 4,000 National Guard troops are helping the Florida Division of Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Transportation to remove debris ahead of the next storm, and he declared a state of emergency in 35 counties. He said Floridians should prepare for more power outages and disruption.

“All available state assets ... are being marshaled to help remove debris,” DeSantis said. “We're going 24-7 ... it's all hands on deck."

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell defended her agency's response to the destruction wrought by Hurricane Helene after Republicans’ false claims, amplified by former President Donald Trump, created a frenzy of misinformation across devastated communities.

“This kind of rhetoric is not helpful to people and it’s really a shame we’re putting politics ahead of helping people,” Criswell told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. It's created fear and mistrust among residents against the thousands of FEMA employees and volunteers on the ground across the southeast, she said.

Despite this, Criswell said the agency is already preparing for Milton, well before it's clear exactly where it will move across the Florida peninsula this week. “We’re working with the state there to understand what their requirements are going to be, so we can have those in place before it makes landfall,” she said.

The hurricane center said Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, the Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys and the northwestern Bahamas should monitor the system’s progress. Heavy rainfall was expected Sunday ahead of the storm itself, and will likely then combine with Milton's rainfall to flood waterways and streets in Florida, where forecasters said up to a foot (30 centimeters) of rain could fall in places through Wednesday night.

“There is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning late Tuesday or Wednesday. Residents in these areas should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place, follow any advice given by local officials, and check back for updates to the forecast,” the center said.

The Atlantic hurricane season has become more active as rescuers in the U.S. Southeast continue to search for people unaccounted for in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which left a huge trail of death and catastrophic damage from Florida into the Appalachian mountains.

Hurricane Kirk diminished to a Category 2 hurricane in the open Atlantic early, with top winds of 105 mph (165 kph), sending large swells and “life-threatening surf and rip current conditions” to Bermuda and northward along the U.S. and Canadian coasts, the center said. Hurricane Leslie also was moving northwest over the open Atlantic, with top winds of 85 mph (140 kph) but posing no threats to land.

This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken at 4:50 p.m. EDT and provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Tropical Storm Milton, center, off the coast of Mexico in the Gulf of Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (NOAA via AP)