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Former President Donald J. Trump visited Little Havana in Miami on Tuesday instantly after his arraignment, his newest try to forged himself as a person persecuted by his political enemies.
It was a not-subtle try to hunt the sympathies of Latinos, in Florida and past.
Mr. Trump’s go to to Versailles Restaurant, a landmark that’s emblematic of the Cuban diaspora, got here as Republicans have more and more likened his indictment to corruption and political oppression in Latin American international locations.
Outdoors the federal courthouse the place the arraignment passed off in Miami, Alina Habba, a lawyer and spokeswoman for Mr. Trump, advised that he was no completely different than political dissidents from Latin America.
“The focusing on, prosecution, of a number one political opponent is the kind of factor you see in dictatorships like Cuba and Venezuela,” she stated. “It’s commonplace there for rival candidates to be prosecuted, persecuted and put into jail.”
The day earlier than his arraignment, Mr. Trump stated he believed Hispanics in South Florida had been sympathetic to him as a result of they’re aware of governments focusing on rivals.
“They actually see it higher than different individuals do,” he stated in an interview with Americano Media, a conservative Spanish-language outlet in South Florida.
Mr. Trump has loved comparatively robust help in some Latino communities, significantly these in South Florida. Eduardo A. Gamarra, a professor of politics and worldwide relations at Florida Worldwide College who can be a part of its Cuban Analysis Institute, stated the narrative woven by Mr. Trump and his surrogates, whereas false, was a shrewd one.
“It’s strengthened by native media, by a lot of what of the Trump marketing campaign and different Republicans are saying: that this administration, the Biden administration, is behaving just like the banana republics behave, in order that’s resonated very intensely right here,” he stated. “It’s nice politics, but it surely’s not true.”
Mr. Gamarra, who was born in Bolivia, famous that Mr. Trump had additionally tried to win help from Latino voters by railing towards socialism and communism. He lamented the best way that Mr. Trump and his allies had repeatedly talked about Latin America.
“It’s a really unlucky narrative,” he stated. “I feel it simply type of propagates the stereotypes about Latin America. It’s rather more advanced than merely the banana republic picture.”
Mr. Trump’s cameo on the restaurant was the most recent for him and a protracted line of politicians that features former Presidents Invoice Clinton and George W. Bush. In 2016, the restaurant hosted Mr. Trump and Rudolph W. Giuliani together after Mr. Trump’s first debate towards Hillary Clinton.
Paloma Marcos, a local of Nicaragua who has been a U.S. citizen for 15 years, rushed to Versailles with a Trump hat and an indication that stated, “I stand with Trump.”
She stated many Nicaraguans like her had an affinity for the previous president, as a result of he’s towards communism. She added that folks like her, in addition to Cuban and Venezuelans, noticed how that type of authorities destroyed their residence international locations.
“He is aware of we help him. The Latino neighborhood has had an awakening,” Ms. Marcos stated. “The curtain has been pulled again.”
The Rev. Yoelis Sánchez, a pastor at an area church and a local of the Dominican Republic, stated she didn’t hesitate when requested to go to Versailles Restaurant to hope with Mr. Trump. A number of non secular individuals, together with evangelicals and Catholics, prayed with him whereas her daughter sang.
“We prayed for God to offer him power and for the reality to come back out,” she stated. “We’re actually involved for his welfare.”
Ms. Sánchez, who lives in Doral, Fla., which is a part of Miami-Dade County and is the place Mr. Trump owns a golf resort, was not but a citizen in 2020. She wouldn’t say whether or not she plans to vote for him in 2024.
“I don’t assume he got here right here simply due to the Latino vote,” she stated. “He got here as a result of he needed to satisfy with individuals who have biblical pondering — he’s pro-life and pro-family and Latinos establish with that.”
Mr. Trump is facing criminal charges related to mishandling classified documents after which obstructing the federal government’s makes an attempt to retrieve them. The federal indictment of a former president is unprecedented in the USA, however many Latin American presidents have been prosecuted after leaving workplace.
Brazil’s present president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, served greater than a 12 months in jail after he left workplace the primary time. Argentina’s former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was sentenced to 6 years for corruption final 12 months. In Peru, Alejandro Toledo was lately extradited to face a bribery cost. Its former chief, Alberto Fujimori, is serving 25 years in jail.
Arnoldo Alemán of Nicaragua is likely one of the few former presidents who was arrested in a corruption case regardless of his personal celebration being in energy.
“That is one thing you see so much in Latin America, particularly in Peru and now in El Salvador,” stated Mario García, a daily at Versailles who was tickled to see Mr. Trump go to the restaurant. “However in these international locations, they do it for a great motive: as a result of the presidents get caught robbing cash.” Mr. García stated he believed the federal government was focusing on Mr. Trump “as a result of they don’t have every other solution to get him.”
Mr. García stated he didn’t assume Mr. Trump got here to Versailles to court docket the Latino vote. “The votes right here at Versailles are ones he already has,” he stated. “He wants help. It’s good to encompass your self with love when everyone seems to be attacking you.”
Maggie Haberman and Nick Madigan contributed reporting.
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