Rimas Entertainment, the record label behind global star Bad Bunny, has raised suspicions due to its founder’s alleged ties to the regime of former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.
Rafael Ricardo Jiménez Dan co-founded Rimas Entertainment in 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile, and previously served as Chávez’s vice minister of legal certainty — raising questions about the label’s finances and its connections to Venezuela’s violent political past.
His own resume lists his accomplishments under Chavez, which included that he: “Led the National Police Reform Commission, recognized for implementing transparent and inclusive public policy reforms and oversaw public compliance with the ‘rule of law.'”
The entertainment company he founded after leaving the Chávez government has since grown into a powerhouse in Latin music, representing artists such as Karol G and Arcángel, and is estimated to be worth over $300 million as of 2023, according to Billboard.
However, according to an April 2023 report from Billboard, Jiménez’s background as a former Venezuelan military officer and vice minister in Chávez’s Interior Ministry from 2006 to 2007 has drawn renewed attention — particularly for his alleged involvement in developing a national ID program that critics, including the Center for a Secure Free Society, say was used to expand government control.
According to Billboard, Jiménez was directly involved in Chávez’s “Mission Identity” program, which has been reportedly used to provide false identities to Cuban agents and facilitate travel for suspected terrorists and drug traffickers.
Jiménez has denied any involvement, saying he “never worked with Mission Identity” and resigned from the government in 2007.
For perspective, under Chávez’s 11-year rule, Venezuela’s murder rate quadrupled, reaching 54 homicides per 100,000 people in 2009 — about two killings every hour — according to Reuters. Human Rights Watch reports that his policies dismantled judicial independence, censored the media, and fueled rampant corruption, leaving a legacy of violence and repression.
The connection has sparked renewed concern in Puerto Rico, where some politicians have called for an FBI investigation into Bad Bunny and Jiménez’s business dealings, according to Telemundo.
Noah Assad, Bad Bunny’s manager and current CEO of Rimas, has reportedly distanced himself from Jiménez in recent years. Jiménez, meanwhile, has maintained a low profile and avoided public appearances with Rimas artists, including Bad Bunny.
In a rare August interview with Music Business Worldwide (MBW), Jiménez disputed claims that he funded Bad Bunny’s career with money from the Chávez regime, saying his investment came from personal “entrepreneurship” — including mortgaging a Florida property and using credit cards to “build” the company.
“Every single dollar I invested in music is the result of entrepreneurship, working hard with my family and friends,” Jiménez told MBW.
The controversy follows viral backlash after Bad Bunny was selected as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performer. The musician has been a vocal critic of ICE agents and immigration enforcement efforts despite holding U.S. citizenship through Puerto Rico, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
He even canceled his U.S. tour dates earlier this year due to a fear of ICE presence at his shows.
During a recent Saturday Night Live appearance, Bad Bunny mocked critics and called his Super Bowl booking a “win for all Latinos and Latinas,” telling viewers they had “four months to learn Spanish.” The final minutes of his monologue were entirely in Spanish.
While Rimas Entertainment and Bad Bunny continue to dominate Latin music despite “industry plant” rumors linked to the Chávez regime, questions still linger about Jiménez’s past and the label’s ties to Venezuela’s government.
Rimas Entertainment did not respond to a request for comment from The Dallas Express regarding alleged connections to Hugo Chávez or the current Venezuelan government under President Nicolás Maduro.