Perry Fumbles With Hispanics in New York

Rick Perry

Gov. Rick Perry speaking in Houston, TX. (Photo by Ed Schipul/flickr)

This article was originally published in El Diario/La Prensa. Translation by the National Institute for Latino Policy.

NEW YORK—Republican presidential candidate, Rick Perry, yesterday attended an informal meeting with Latino leaders Monday in Upper Manhattan.

Perry, governor of Texas, arrived at the Mexican restaurant, Papasito, on Dyckman Street in Inwood around 4:30 pm. He refused to talk to the 50 journalists who had gathered at the entrance.

However, after the event, which lasted about 40 minutes, the community organizer Fernando Mateo said, “He sent a clear message: He will help the progress of small businesses. The less government is involved, the better.”

Mateo, a Republican, and the organizer of the event, said that this was not about about which party the candidate belonged to — but that the candidates come to the community.”

Upper Manhattan is an area that is historically Democratic and many of the people who came to the event were curious about the visit of the conservative politician.

“I’m here for the same reason you are here,” said Rep. Charlie Rangel upon entering the Mexican restaurant, “to find out why he is here.”

State Senator Adriano Espaillat released a statement saying, “Gov. Rick Perry, an extremist rightwinger … has proven to be an anti-immigrant, anti-family workers, anti-union, and anti-commonsense.” “His so-called ‘outreach to Latinos’ is so obviously manufactured and is embarrassingly inauthentic.”

Donna Deming, an area resident for 43 years, went to Mateo as he talked about the candidate’s visit and said, “Many people here depend on Medicaid and food stamps. Perry wants to take those benefits. away

How do you reconcile these two things? ”

Mateo did not answer.

Listen to the Fi2W Podcast: What do Latinos Think of Rick Perry?

AboutAnnie Correal
Annie Correal is a reporter based in New York, where she has covered crime, immigration and breaking news for The New York Times and El Diario, and contributed radio pieces to WNYC, NPR and This American Life. She is working on a new, Spanish language storytelling podcast, Radio Ambulante (www.radioambulante.org) scheduled to launch in 2012. Annie was born in Bogota and raised between California and Colombia.