Puerto Rican reggaeton star Arcángel is under fire after defending the Spanish conquest and rejecting the idea that Spain should apologize to Latin America for colonization—a stance he shared during a concert on his tour in Madrid.

The controversy erupted when Arcángel told his audience that Spain “doesn’t have to apologize to anyone” and passionately defended the Hispanic legacy in the region. He went further, stating that Spaniards “taught us to speak” and that Latin Americans should consider themselves “Hispanoamericanos.” These remarks quickly went viral across TikTok, X, and Instagram.

For many, Arcángel’s comments seemed to downplay the violence and trauma of the conquest. The backlash was swift and intense, especially among Latin American fans, who accused the singer of ignoring the suffering of Indigenous peoples and the deep wounds left by colonialism. Social media users called for boycotts, demanded the cancellation of his shows, and even warned him with messages like “don’t set foot in Mexico.”

As the outrage grew, the situation escalated into a full-blown “funa”—a public shaming that pressured Arcángel to respond. After several days of criticism, he issued a public apology, clarifying that he never intended to disrespect anyone and that his comments were a personal opinion that had been misunderstood.

In his statement, Arcángel emphasized that his words “were always meant with respect” and apologized to those who felt hurt. He also stressed that he never meant to minimize historical pain or create divisions among Latin American countries.

Despite his attempt to calm the storm, the debate continues. Some fans have accepted his apology, while many others believe it came too late and only after his career and concerts were threatened. The incident has reignited conversations about historical memory, identity, and the responsibility of public figures to acknowledge the complexities of Latin America’s past.