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Washington, DC – The Latino Coalition (TLC) has today denounced the release of two online spots which urge Latino voters not to vote in the upcoming mid term Congressional elections. The spots, produced in English and Spanish by an Alexandria, Virginia-based organization called Latinos for Reform, base their call to action –or inaction– on the failure of President Obama and leaders in Congress to deliver on then presidential candidate Obama’s promise to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform within a year of assuming the presidency. As this has not happened after two years of the Obama Administration, Latino voters should abstain from voting in all upcoming Congressional elections, the Latinos for Reform spots assert.
The Latino Coalition strongly opposes such a message, and also criticizes Latinos for Reform for the inaccurate translation of the spot into Spanish. “We are saddened that Latinos for Reform has opted to use this tactic, that can’t be seen as anything other than an attempt to suppress Latino voter turnout in these upcoming elections. If positive changes have been attained for Latinos –and many other groups– in our country, they have largely been achieved by active participation, not passive viewing from the sidelines,” said Hector V. Barreto, TLC’s Chairman and Former Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (2001-2006).
TLC added that the spot’s Spanish translation deviates significantly from its English version, by widening blame to both political parties –as opposed to its English counterpart, which focuses on Democrats– and urging Latino voters not to vote in any election, as opposed to the specific instruction in the English-language spot not to vote in Congressional races only. “It’s hard to make any sense of this disparity, but what is clear is that any message of abstention to Latinos is terribly ill-founded and contrary to our best interests,” added Barreto,
“The Latino Coalition believes in holding all our elected representatives accountable, by actively participating in the democratic process. At the heart of this process is our right and duty as citizens to vote. That we have not achieved Comprehensive Immigration Reform, yet, should motivate us to deepen our participation, not withdraw to the sidelines,” Barreto concluded.
Hector V. Barreto is available for media interviews to discuss this issue at greater length. For more information on The Latino Coalition, visit: www.TheLatinoCoalition.com
About the Latino Coalition
The Latino Coalition (TLC) was founded in 1995 by a group of Hispanic business owners from across the country to research and develop policies relevant to Latinos. TLC is a non-profit nationwide organization based in CA, with offices in Washington, DC and Guadalajara, Mexico. TLC was established to address policy issues that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States. TLC’s agenda is to develop initiatives and partnerships that will foster economic |
