I’ve written on too many occasions about how John Kerry is poised to reverse Dem troubles with Cuban-American voters in South Florida. But it’s also worth noting that Florida’s Latino community is itself a diverse population, with immigrants from several Central and South American countries. Cuban Americans remain the dominant political constituency in the Miami area, but both parties are learning that they’re not the state’s only Hispanic voters.
“This is a huge market, one of several we are going to be going after,” said Allie Merzer, spokeswoman for the state’s Democratic Party in Tallahassee. “This summer, you’ll be seeing the Democratic Party out there knocking on doors, holding rallies and registration drives, and mobilizing voters.”
Republicans, who traditionally enjoyed strong support from Florida’s Cuban population, also are focused on other Latinos. “There are over 250,000 Puerto Ricans in central Florida alone,” said Republican state Rep. John Quinones, a Puerto Rican.
Not long ago, candidates would visit Florida and immediately talk about Cuba when they met a Spanish-speaking voter. Those days are over.
“Obviously, the issue of Cuba and its relation to the United States is not something that is seen as of great importance,” Quinones said.
Fortunately, Kerry seems well aware of the distinctions and differences within the community. In a terrific op-ed for today’s Miami Herald, Kerry explains, in some detail, about the failures of the Bush administration in all of Latin America — including, but not limited to, a certain Communist dictatorship 90 miles from Key West.
The great Cuban patriot Jose Martà wrote, “It is not enough to come to the defense of freedom with epic and intermittent efforts when it is threatened at moments that appear critical. Every moment is critical for the defense of freedom.”
As president, I will be committed to strong and steady support for democratic processes and institutions, to consolidate democracy where it exists, assist democracy where it is in trouble, and promote democracy where it has not yet been established.
I particularly liked Kerry’s list of Bush’s “failed policies” towards Latin America.
* In Argentina, the Bush administration stood aside and watched as the economy spiraled downward and mob violence forced the president from office.
* In Bolivia, Bush encouraged the election of a pro-market, pro-U.S. president and did nothing to help the country when riots shook the capital and the president was forced to flee.
* In Haiti, the Bush team acquiesced in mob violence and a quasi-military coup that ousted a democratically elected, albeit flawed, regime.
* In Venezuela, Bush welcomed a new government installed by the generals as the elected president sat in military custody, only to see the president restored to power within hours.
* Even in Cuba, the angry red scar in a sea of democratic blue, we have seen a further deterioration, with widespread arrests of dissidents and human-rights activists.
The ineffective and unprincipled role of the United States in the hemisphere has not gone unnoticed on either side of the border. Polls show that 87 percent of Latin American leaders have a negative image of Bush’s leadership. At home, 69 percent of Hispanic voters believe that Bush has failed to live up to his promises on Latin America.
We must reverse this backslide. We again must become a true beacon for democracy and progress in our hemisphere. Those who dream of planting democracy in the Middle East should not overlook the fragility of democratic institutions in our own neighborhood.
The more Kerry and the Dems emphasize this, the better our chances of success.