No, viral image does not show Puerto Ricans holding an 'anti-Donald Trump' rally

Context

A day before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, which was held on November 5, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared a photo showing a large crowd in Puerto Rico. She claimed it represented the second-largest political rally of the electoral cycle and described the event as a "political earthquake." 

Ocasio-Cortez also stated that the image depicted "over 50,000 Boricuas rallying for the anti-Trump, anti-corruption Alianza movement & @juandalmauPR." The post garnered more than six million views and was reshared by thousands of social media users.

This claim comes amid heightened tensions following remarks at a recent rally of Republican candidate Donald Trump, where comedian Tony Hinchcliffe referred to Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage," sparking outrage among Puerto Ricans. Many saw the Alianza gathering as a symbol of Puerto Rican pride and resilience, although this was not the central theme of the event.

As of this report’s publication, both AP and CNN have called the election in favor of Trump.

However, our investigation found that the image Ocasio-Cortez shared does not show an anti-Trump rally but instead depicts the Festival de la Esperanza, a local Puerto Rican event unrelated to the U.S. presidential election.

In Fact

The photograph shared by Ocasio-Cortez was taken at the Festival de la Esperanza, held in Puerto Rico on November 3, 2024. Organized by the Alianza de País—a coalition of the Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño (PIP) and the Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana (MVC)—the event was primarily a closing rally ahead of Puerto Rico's November 5 elections. 

Verifying the photo’s origin proved challenging, but a reverse image search suggests Ocasio-Cortez was the first to share this specific image. The setup and crowd arrangement, including the structures flanking the crowd, match other footage from the festival, confirming it was part of this local event.

While Alianza advocates for issues such as anti-corruption, decolonization, and enhanced Puerto Rican autonomy, its main focus is local governance, not U.S. national politics. Some members have criticized (see here) former President Trump, especially his response to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017, but the coalition’s priorities are primarily local. Moreover, the audience gathered for a festival, not a presidential rally.

Therefore, the Festival de la Esperanza reflects the Alianza movement's commitment to Puerto Rican self-determination and governance, not the U.S. elections. TimesNowWorld, DailyMail, and FoxNews have previously assessed this claim.

The Verdict

The photo is from the Festival de la Esperanza, a local political event unrelated to the U.S. elections.

Follow Logically Facts' coverage and fact-checking of the U.S. Election 2024 here.