Rene Perez of Calle 13, pictured here on MTV on Thursday, has been accused of insulting several Latin American politicians. (Matt Sayles/Associated Press)

Authorities in Puerto Rico have cancelled a concert featuring the Grammy-winning group Calle 13 because the band's lead singer insulted the governor and other politicians during an MTV awards show.

On Saturday, the mayor of San Juan, the Puerto Rican capital, said the Halloween concert for the band's hometown fans was scrapped because no contract had been signed for the use of Roberto Clemente Coliseum.

Mayor Jorge Santini then said this: "Mr. Perez, of Calle 13, will not be bothered by the decision … because I don't think he is interested in benefiting economically from an event that was going to be held in a facility administered by government personnel for whom he has no respect."

Santini was referring to frontman Rene Perez, who used an epithet on Thursday's MTV show about the mother of the island's governor, Luis Fortuno. The singer, whose band has captured five Latin Grammys, was denouncing the layoff of 17,000 state workers.

"This individual disrespected all Puerto Rican women, all Puerto Rican mothers and the people of Puerto Rico in general," Fortuno said. "That is what I can tell you."

Perez also wore a T-shirt that criticized Colombian President Alvaro Uribe for an agreement allowing U.S. military bases in his country. The T-shirt message intimated that Uribe could have paramilitary links.

The Colombian government issued an indignant statement about the "slanderous" message.

There has been no response from Calle 13.

With files from The Associated Press