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Puerto Rican stars Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee have lashed out against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, accusing him of using their song, global hit Despacito, for political gains.

President Nicolas Maduro presented an altered version of the song during his weekly TV show on July 23.

The reworked lyrics promoted Nicolas Maduro’s plans for a controversial new citizen’s assembly, which will be elected on July 30 to rewrite the constitution.

The singers branded it an outrage.

Nicolas Maduro was seen clapping along to the remix, as his audience danced.

“Our call to the <Constituent Assembly> only seeks to unite the country … Despacito!” go the new lyrics.

Luis Fonsi responded angrily on social media: “At no point was I asked, nor did I authorize, the use or the change in lyrics of Despacito for political means, and much less so in the middle of the deplorable situation experienced by Venezuela, a country I love so much.

“My music is for all those who want to listen to it and enjoy it, not to be used as propaganda that tries to manipulate the will of a people who are crying out for their freedom.”

Image source YouTube

Daddy Yankee posted a picture of President Maduro with a large red cross over it on Instagram and wrote: “That you illegally appropriate a song [Despacito] does not compare with the crimes you commit and have committed in Venezuela.

“Your dictatorial regime is a joke, not only for my Venezuelan brothers, but for the entire world.”

Despacito translates as “slowly”, referring to the speed of the lead singer’s seduction technique.

However, the Venezuelan version strips back the lyrics.

Instead, the new chorus runs: “Slowly, take your vote rather than weapons, and express your ideas. Always in peace and calm.”

Introducing the new take to an audience of supporters, Nicolas Maduro said a creative group had reworked it and he wanted to put it to the test.

“What do you think, eh?” the president asked the crowd.

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Venezuela has been shaken by often violent protests in recent months, and millions joined a general strike last week.

Some 100 people have died in the unrest, which has further hammered an imploding economy that is running short of food and medicine.

The constituent assembly President Maduro wants to establish would have power to rewrite the constitution and bypass the opposition-controlled legislature.

Critics say the president is trying to cement a dictatorship. He argues it is the only way to bring peace back to the divided nation.

The original Puerto Rican version of Despacito has been a worldwide success, and a version featuring Justin Bieber recently became the most-streamed song of all time.

Another high-profile member of the governing Socialist Party, Diosdado Cabello, also drew on Despacito recently to score political points.

“As the song says, step by step, slowly and suavely, they [the critics] want to create a coup,” he said, according to local media.

A variety of opposition parodies have also gone viral on social media, including one called Madurito.

Another called Bien Flaquito (Very Skinny) played on Venezuela’s food shortages.

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Despacito has broken global streaming record and become the most-streamed song of all time, just six months after it was released.

The Luis Fonsi’s single has been played 4.6 billion times across all streaming services, overtaking Justin Bieber’s Sorry, which previously held the title.

Image source YouTube

Luis Fonsi, who hails from Puerto Rico and sings in Spanish, said: “What’s happened with this song is just insane.

“I don’t want to use the word accident because I was trying to write a hit, but I didn’t plan for it to cross over.

“I just wanted to make people dance.”

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Luis Fonsi, 39, said the global success of his song – which has reached No 1 in more than 45 countries – gave him hope in the current political climate.

“I come from Puerto Rico and I live in Miami. We’re living in an interesting time right now when people want to divide us. They want to build walls.

“And for a song to bring people and cultures together, that’s what makes me proud.”

Despacito is a sun-bleached slice of sensual reggaeton. The title translates as “slowly”, referring to the speed of Luis Fonsi’s seduction technique.

The song hit No 1 around Latin America when it was released in January, but only caught fire in the English-speaking world after Justin Bieber heard the song in a nightclub and asked to add a verse.

Justin Bieber’s version of the song – known as Despacito (Remix) – has become a phenomenon on streaming services, most notably Spotify and Apple Music. It is already the fourth most-played video of all time on YouTube, where it is rapidly closing in on the top three, all of which are years old.