At a rally this week, Nicolás Maduro debuted a politicized version of ‘Despacito,’ urging citizens of Venezuela to vote for a “constitutional assembly” which would have the power to rewrite the country’s 18-year-old constitution and dissolve the National Assembly. During Maduro’s presidency, Venezuela has faced huge declines in the socioeconomic state of the country. With a significant drop in oil prices, the country has been plagued by food shortages, hyperinflation and a deep recession. The Venezuelan people have taken to the streets in protests and strikes and faced violent retributions with more than 100 people dying in the conflicts. The unpopular Maduro’s “constitutional assembly” is being viewed by some as an attempt to regain his slipping power within Venezuela.

The remixed version of the song is blatant in its attempts to convince the public to vote yes on the Constituent, as the singers recite, “For the union and peace of our country, / The Constituent moves forward / Hey, dear brothers, I am singing for you. / I have a great message for you. / It is the call to the Constituent that only wants to unite the country. / Slowly, open your eyes and look to our people. / Give them your hand today, tomorrow and always. / It is your brothers that are in the forefront. / Slowly, exercise your vote instead of bullets. / Go with your ideas always in peace and calm / and so that hope shines in your soul.”

#Venezuela: hilarious video of #Maduro awkwardly clapping his hands to a pro-#Constituyente version of #Despacito pic.twitter.com/WRjbvLQ2y1

— Thomas van Linge (@arabthomness) July 25, 2017

Maduro’s attempts at a fun, lighthearted campaign strategy failed him. As he clapped along to the music, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee took to Instagram to express their disagreement with the President’s use of their song. Fonsi explained that he was not consulted, nor did he authorize the use of the song for political reasons, writing, “My music is for all those who want to listen and enjoy, not to be used as propaganda intended to manipulate the will of the people that are crying out for their freedom and a better future.”
Daddy Yanke also responded to the cover by posting a photo of Maduro with a big, red ‘X’ across it. He wrote, “That you illegally appropriated a song (Despacito) does not compare with the crime you commit and have committed in Venezuela….With this nefarious marketing plan, you only will continue revealing your fascist ideal.”

A post shared by Daddy Yankee (@daddyyankee) on Jul 24, 2017 at 12:11pm PDT