International

Latina Republicans deploy tough border rhetoric in chase for Texas seats

Photo: Allison Dinner / AFP

| By AFP | Paula Ramon |

When Mayra Flores made history this June as the first Mexican-born member of the US Congress, the Republican seized her south Texas seat from the Democrats by courting Latinos with strident calls to close the border.

That apparent paradox has made the 36-year-old — whose campaign slogan is “God, family, country” — one of the faces of the Republican Party’s new push in the border region for the November midterm elections.

She is bidding to repeat her victory next month, when fellow Latina Republicans Monica de la Cruz, Cassy Garcia and Carmen Maria Montiel will also vie for nearby congressional seats that for decades have remained Democratic.

The group hope to appeal directly to a community made up largely of immigrants and children of immigrants, who are increasingly calling to expand the wall that separates their adopted home country from Latin America.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Sara Rodriguez, a resident of Edinburg, 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the Mexico border, plans to vote for Flores because she “represents our views as far as immigration goes.”

“There’s an influx of a lot of people coming through the valley, especially here at the south border…. I feel like it’s very unsafe right now.”

Flores won her seat in a special poll this summer after the Democratic incumbent resigned.

Campaigning for re-election in the border city of McAllen, she won raucous applause from a crowd wearing boots and wide-brimmed hats during a speech peppered with fierce rhetoric on further tightening the border.

“Red wave! Red wave!” supporters chanted, referencing the Republican Party’s color, as a mariachi band played traditional Mexican music.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“The Democratic Party has walked away from the Hispanic community. They just take us for granted every election year,” Flores told AFP after her rally.

‘My hard work’

Democrats in various US states have for years benefited from the traditional support of Latino voters, which in the 1990s played a key role in transforming California into a solidly blue state.

But in south Texas, where Hispanics or Latinos (40.2 percent) outnumbered non-Latino or Hispanic whites (39.4 percent) for the first time this year, the Democrats’ lead has gradually shrunk.

In 2020, Donald Trump’s hardline immigration stance was widely credited with helping to slash the Democratic lead over Republican voters along the Texas border to 17 percent, from 33 percent four years earlier.

While they rarely mention the former president by name in speeches, local Republican candidates have adopted his nationalist and pro-wall rhetoric, while highlighting their community roots.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“It’s so important that you have people who live on the border, who understand the border, representing the border,” said de la Cruz, who hopes to win a seat held by Democrats for more than a century.

Jesus Contreras, a Mexican who became a naturalized US citizen in the 1990s, plans to vote for her after decades of supporting the Democrats.

“My parents, everybody, taught me, ‘Oh the Republicans are bad,’” he said, switching between English and Spanish. “But they’re not.”

Contreras blames the Democrats for the border situation, and for the rising cost of living.

“The folks that are coming across are helping the economy in which way? Do they pay taxes?” he asked.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“As far as I know, I’ve been paying taxes all my life. But yeah, they come over here and… get to reap the benefits of my hard work.

“I don’t think so.”

‘Unacceptable’

Between last October and this September, US authorities reported more than 2.3 million “border encounters” — a record.

The figure does not directly translate into the number of migrants, as many people try several times to cross.

Many are seeking asylum, claiming to be fleeing dangerous situations in countries such as Guatemala, Cuba, and Nicaragua.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Venezuela has seen an explosion in cases, with more than 180,000 of its citizens intercepted at the US southern border in one year.

For Montiel, a former beauty queen who is running in Houston to become the first Venezuelan-American in Congress, the situation is “unacceptable.”

“My constituents want the border to be closed, for there to be legal migration,” she told AFP.

“Even if they are Venezuelans, I do not agree with someone entering this country breaking the law,” she added, although her former country has no diplomatic relations with Washington and no functioning US embassy.

‘Coming from poverty’

Still, in the border city of Laredo, multiple Latino voters told AFP they defined themselves as Democrats because of the party’s humanitarian position on immigration.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“It is not dangerous here — migrants come to work,” says Gustavo Hernandez, a taxi driver who arrived 25 years ago from Mexico.

“They are just coming from poverty,” he added.

Sandra Ibarra, who spoke to AFP on her way to attend noon Mass at Laredo’s cathedral, said it was “necessary for everyone to get out and vote.”

President Joe Biden, a Democrat, “has done a lot of good things and he is trying to do everything he can to help immigrants, but the governor (Republican Greg Abbott) puts a lot of restrictions on us,” she said.

“We are at a crossroads.”

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

International

Mexican Navy Ships Deliver Third Shipment of Humanitarian Aid to Cuba

Two logistics support vessels from the Mexican Navy — the ARM Papaloapan and the ARM Huasteco — docked again on Friday in the bay of Havana carrying a third shipment of humanitarian aid for Cuba.

The vessels had previously arrived on the Caribbean island on February 28 with a second cargo that included 1,200 tons of food, sent to help alleviate the country’s ongoing crisis, which has worsened following the U.S. oil restrictions affecting fuel supplies to the island.

Cuba’s deputy foreign minister Josefina Vidal confirmed the new shipment in a social media post.

“Two ships carrying a third shipment of aid from the Government and the people of Mexico for the Cuban people are now arriving at the port of Havana. Thank you Mexico for your solidarity with Cuba,” she wrote.

Previous aid shipments

During the second shipment, the Papaloapan transported 1,078 tons of beans and powdered milk, while the Huastecocarried 92 tons of beans and 23 tons of assorted food products collected by social organizations with support from the government of Mexico City.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

In recent months, Mexico has become the largest provider of humanitarian aid to Cuba, sending around 2,000 tons of supplies, mostly staple foods and hygiene products, in the two shipments prior to Friday’s delivery.

The first shipment alone included 814 tons of food.

Cuba praises Mexico’s support

Hours before the ships arrived, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel highlighted Mexico’s support during a televised appearance, describing the country as “a friendly and brotherly nation that has shown tremendous solidarity,”particularly praising Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Díaz-Canel also addressed reports suggesting that Mexican donations were being resold in state-run stores, dismissing them as a “disinformation campaign” promoted by right-wing groups.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

International

Ecuador Declares 60-Day National Emergency After Deadly Floods and Landslides

Ecuador has declared a 60-day national emergency to address the impact of a severe rainy season that has left 11 people dead and more than 50,000 affected since January, the government’s disaster management authority announced Friday.

Prolonged heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms have caused river overflows and landslides, mainly in the coastal provinces of Guayas, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Los Ríos, Manabí and Santa Elena, as well as in the Andean provinces of Lojaand Chimborazo.

According to the Secretariat for Risk Management of Ecuador, the emergency declaration was issued “due to the level of impact caused nationwide on the population, the road network, infrastructure, and livelihoods.”

“The emergency declaration is aimed at responding to the effects and negative impacts and preventing their further spread,” the agency said in a statement.

International

Trump Pushes for Regime Change in Cuba as Havana Confirms Talks With Washington

U.S. President Donald Trump has made no secret of his desire for political change in Cuba, located just 150 kilometers from the United States. Washington considers the island an “exceptional threat,” citing its close ties with Russia, Chinaand Iran, longtime allies of Havana.

Trump has urged Cuba to “reach a deal” with Washington or face consequences, as the island struggles with a severe energy crisis that has nearly paralyzed its economy after the United States cut oil shipments from Venezuela, its main fuel supplier. The U.S. has also warned other countries against selling fuel to Havana.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed that Cuban officials have recently held talks with representatives of the U.S. government. The statement came during a meeting with senior members of the ruling Communist Party of Cuba and the executive committee of the Council of Ministers, according to footage broadcast on Cuban television.

“These conversations have been aimed at seeking solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differences that exist between our two nations,” Díaz-Canel said.

Reports of intermediaries and possible negotiations

According to television images, among those attending the meeting was Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of former Cuban leader Raúl Castro. Although he holds no official government position, U.S. media have identified him as a possible interlocutor with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in what have been described as secret discussions between Washington and Havana.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

For some Cubans, any potential agreement with Washington is viewed pragmatically. “As long as it benefits us, we can reach an agreement — but on our terms,” said Sergio Guerra, a 55-year-old agricultural vendor, speaking to AFP.

Díaz-Canel’s remarks confirm earlier statements by Trump, who indicated in January that his administration had already begun contacts with senior Cuban officials.

Mexico calls for diplomacy

Meanwhile, Mexico welcomed the possibility of dialogue after recently sending more than 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba to help mitigate the crisis.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country would always promote peace and diplomatic dialogue, particularly in response to what she described as the long-standing injustice of the U.S. embargo on the Cuban people.