United States: in Arizona, can Joe Biden still count on the Latino vote?
Poll after poll in the United States, President Joe Biden is now placed second in several states behind Donald Trump.
It is also in decline among a traditionally pro-democratic electorate, the Latin American community.
This is particularly the case in key states that must absolutely be won in November during the presidential election.
Like in Arizona.
José Alfredo Gimenez, son of a Mexican immigrant, is shocked by the Democratic speech on the border.
© A. Jounaïdi/RFI
By: Aabla Jounaïdi Follow |
Julien Boileau
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In 2020, the mobilization of Latino voters favored
Joe Biden
's narrow victory in Arizona, a historically Republican state where Latinos are the second largest ethnic group.
We were then coming out of a difficult presidency, that of Donald Trump, who had targeted immigrant populations and their children.
Also listen: [Podcast]: USA 2024 elections: why despite his age, Joe Biden will be the Democratic candidate?
This week, in Arizona, a group of Republican elected officials decided that state law needed to be toughened to track down undocumented migrants.
Gina Mendez, director of the left-wing organization Lucha, is on a war footing.
© A. Jounaïdi/RFI
And here we are again, Latino rights groups on a war footing.
This is the case of the left-wing organization Lucha of which Gina Mendez is the director.
“We all have an undocumented family member, another who has a small business.
We will seize this opportunity to get Latino voters and voters of color to vote.
That everyone who has an undocumented family member can vote.
»
Implied, go vote Democratic.
Read alsoUnited States: as the elections approach, transfers of migrants by bus weaken Joe Biden
The problem is that the Democratic camp is also in the process of changing its discourse on the border by promising stricter measures, including with regard to asylum seekers.
And that is shocking.
“For me, by doing this, we close doors to opportunities.
We prevent people from being united, moving forward and progressing.
It's impossible when we close the door to them.
This pushes them to do illegal things in order to gain freedom and a better life,
laments José Alfredo Gimenez, son of a Mexican immigrant who lives in Tucson.
In addition to this question of migration management, Joe Biden's economic record does not plead in his favor with the Latino electorate.
Rightly or wrongly, many people attribute the increase in the cost of living to it, whether it is credit to buy a house or a car, or even the price of fuel.
We are talking about a social class that works, often very hard, to make ends meet.
🇺🇸 #RoadTripRFIUSA In Phoenix, the explosion in the cost of living and the housing crisis have put many Americans on the street, @AablaJounaidi and Julien Boileau explain to us.
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RFI did not meet any pro-Trump Latino activists.
They exist in Arizona, but they are a minority.
The most striking thing is that there is no enthusiasm for the election.
Several people interviewed say they probably will not vote in November 2024.
Also listen: United States: is the Biden/Trump duel inevitable?
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