Paula Martínez, the girlfriend of the backing singer Velito El Bufón, posted a video on her Instagram account this Monday where she discusses the impact of negative comments on social media and advocates for the importance of self-esteem in the face of cyberbullying.
In the video shared on her Instagram profile, the young Spanish woman—who works as a cabin crew member—began by thanking her supporters before addressing the derogatory messages she also frequently receives.
"I wanted to take advantage of this video to thank all those who take the time to leave me such lovely comments on my posts. I truly am very grateful, as all that affection from my followers is always warmly received," Paula said at the beginning of her message.
However, the Spanish woman did not shy away from the subject of criticism. "Unfortunately, we live in a society where it has become normal to criticize others while hiding behind a screen or a profile, often one that is even fake," she stated, pointing directly at those who use anonymous accounts to attack others.
Paula emphasized that those who act in this way reveal more about themselves than about the people they criticize: "People who are happy with themselves, who are secure in themselves, do not feel the need to go from profile to profile judging and criticizing others."
The young woman clarified that, although negative comments do not bring her down, she is concerned about their effect on more vulnerable individuals. "Thank God, I have worked hard on my self-esteem so that these comments do not affect me. But I believe there are vulnerable people for whom this can cause a lot of harm," she warned.
The video accumulated 10,000 "likes" and 343 comments and received public support from Velito El Bufón —whose real name is Dariel Gutiérrez Pérez— who reacted with applause emojis and a red heart.
Paula opened her Instagram profile to the public on August 18 and within a few weeks surpassed 30,000 followers, although her posts have also elicited mixed reactions from the start.
The relationship between the two was made public in April, just weeks after the Cuban singer announced his breakup with his ex-partner Thalía, with whom he has two children, the youngest of whom is a boy named Thiago. The speed with which Velito made the new romance official sparked a wave of criticism, with comments like "How quickly men fall in love" or "She wouldn't look at him if he weren't famous."
Since then, Paula has frequently been the target of negative messages, although she has also won over part of the audience: one of the most viral comments about her was, "We all hate her and still don’t know her… I'm starting to like you."
The couple has shared public moments in Cuba, the Canary Islands, and Madrid, and Velito showcased his love for Paula in the heart of Madrid's Gran Vía just a few days ago, receiving predominantly positive reactions from their followers.
"Of course, everyone is free to express their opinion as they wish. The problem arises when we lack respect," Paula concluded in her video, ending with a call for empathy on social media.
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