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“Hispanic Conservatives Make a Stand: Defending Univision Against Trump Interview Critics

Conservative Hispanic Americans are defending client news broadcaster Univision amid backlash over a recent interview with President Donald Trump. This comes amid reports that a number of prominent Latino figures have been terminated or otherwise ostracized by the network for openly criticizing the president, or for expressing views traditionally associated with the Republican Party. Univision is currently facing accusations of political bias by some who suggest the network is unfairly targeting Trump supporters who put their career at risk for expressing an opinion. The biggest impact has been on former Univision anchor Enrique Acevedo who was terminated from the network following his strong criticism of the president following his handling of the Charlottesville incident. Acevedo received a wave of support from Latino conservatives around the country and even from some celebrity Latino personalities. Actor Gabriel Iglesias, for example, posted a message on social media in honor of the slain protester, Heather Heyer, highlighting the need to stand up to hate. The reaction to Univision’s real or perceived censure of opposing opinions has been met with support among some Hispanic conservatives who argue that the interview with Trump was an example of fair journalism even if they did not support some of the things the President said. One of the most vocal supporters of Univision has been Alvaro Castillo, a prominent Cuban-American political strategist who wrote an op-ed for the Miami Herald criticizing the network’s “unfair” treatment of Acevedo and other commentators. Critics of Univision have argued that the network has a liberal bias but some Latino conservatives contend that it is simply attempting to hold the President to account for his policies. In the widely-watched interview, Univision engagement editor Jorge Ramos pressed President Trump on issues that were of great concern to the Latino community such as the border wall, family separations, and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The recent controversy has uncovered an increasingly visible rift among Hispanic Americans, where political positions center on sizable ideological differences. As more Latino voices become part of the nation’s political debate, Hispanic conservatives will continue to assert their presence and offer different perspectives to audiences wary of the mainstream media. At the same time, Univision will have to reconcile its mission to reflect the nuances within the Latino community while staying true to its journalistic standards.