TEXAS, USA — The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) denounced comments made about Puerto Rico and Latinos by a podcast host during a rally for former President Donald Trump.
Sunday, Trump held a rally at Madison Square Garden rally in New York City. One of the speakers, comedian and podcast host Tony Hinchcliffe, referred to Puerto Rico as "a floating island of garbage." He also disparaged Latinos, saying they "enjoy making babies." He also made disparaging comments about Jewish people and Black people.
Soon after the rally, the Trump campaign did make a move to distance itself from those comments.
“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign," senior adviser Danielle Alvarez said in a statement.
LULAC, the nation's oldest Latino civil rights organization, issued a statement Monday denouncing the comments.
"We are shocked but not surprised that the Trump campaign in New York today has stooped to allow a speaker to call the island of Puerto Rico 'floating garbage,'" said Roman Palomares, LULAC National President. "LULAC does not care how they spin it; these words spewed by a so-called comedian should have never been allowed and should have been immediately rejected and condemned by Donald Trump."
The organization is demanding an apology from the Trump campaign and a retraction of the comments made at the Sunday rally.
The comments were also immediately criticized by Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign. Following the rally, Vice President Kamala Harris posted a video on her social media platforms pledging support for Puerto Rico.