Why Bad Bunny's Halftime Show Did Not Land Well Among Several Mexicans

What looked like unity abroad exposed Mexico’s deepest cultural fractures at home.

From Miami to Madrid, Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show was widely celebrated as a triumphant affirmation of Latin identity. Commentators described it as historic: a Spanish language performance on the most American of stages.

For Mexicans, the themes Bad Bunny addressed were not abstract. Roughly 11 million Mexican born people live in the United States, making Mexicans the largest national origin group among Latinos there.

And yet, something unexpected happened. While the show was applauded internationally, it did not land well among several segments of Mexican viewers.

To understand why, one must first understand who in Mexico watches the Super Bowl.