Romney Runs Deceptive Spanish Ads to Get Latino Votes

"In this final week before the election, Mitt Romney's campaign has launched a new anti-Obama ad on Spanish language television stations and on its website. The ad targets an important segment of the Florida Hispanic vote -- Cubans. The latest Florida International University/Miami Herald/El Nueva Herald poll shows President Obama leading Hispanic voters in Florida by a narrow 51 to 47 percent over Mitt Romney. The same poll found that without Cuban-Americans, Obama wins Hispanic voters 65 to 32 percent.

The ad attempts to link President Obama with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, Fidel Castro's niece, and Che Guevara. The ad features Chavez and Mariela Castro saying they would vote for Obama. It also cites an e-mail sent by the Environmental Protection Agency during Hispanic Heritage month, featuring a photo of Che Guevara. The EPA says a staffer sent out the e-mail without getting it approved by a supervisor.

However, the Miami Herald, which was the first media outlet to obtain a copy of the ad, spoke with Latino voters who say the ad is having a negative effect.

The Miami Herald says Cuban-American Rosa Hombredela identifies with the Republican party, but took advantage of early voting, and cast her ballot for President Obama. She told the Herald the ad, "reminded her of the same infectious style politics that put Castro in power." One of the comments on the Miami Herald website about the ad from someone named "Grillo" says, "Che and Chavez and Obama? In what universe? Che was killed in 1967. Obama was 5 years old and Chavez was 13. Pray tell when and where these three walked together?"* Cenk Uygur breaks down the deceptive, weak linking of Obama to Chavez, Castro, and Che Guevara.

*Read more from Cara Rinkoff/ IVN:

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[sturoman]

This is insane! Anywhere in Europe the press would go mad at these obvious lies.

[saintfelicianlife]

Cuba is communist not socialist, its a massive difference, similar to comparing capitalism to fascism.

[acebunny]

Latino here, you can actually tell that that woman's native language is not spanish. She's speaking in syllables, like you guys.

[wojovox]

I was in a Mexican restaurant and had to defend the workers there because some woman went nuts and started yelling at all the Hispanics because they were going to vote Obama. She went off and she had a 5 year old child with her.

[javierdelvalle]

I'm not arguing if Chavez has been a good or a bad President, but calling him a dictator or accusing him of attacking Venezuelan Freedom because you don't agree with his ECONOMIC POLICIES, is outrageous.

[blackmichael]

Having a welfare state and strong protection for labour, a strong labour movement, and regulated business does not equal "socialism". It's more accurate to call that "social democracy" or "welfare capitalism".

[javierdelvalle]

Sorry, but you are simply describing a lousy President, not a Dictator. He's been 14 years in power because he had been elected. You just proved my point.

[obermegalutschoar]

Mariela Castro plays a major role in recognition and support of gay, bi-sexual and transgender rights in Cuba. She is a scholar on the topic and wrote several articles on the subject. She is also a member of the World Association for Sexual Health. And she's the niece of Fidel. How evil of her!
This is the equivalent of TV ads showing clips from the Third Reich with a portrait of Romney slowly fading in and a voice saying, "did you ever notice Mitt kind of sounds like Hit-ler?"

[chiconian]

I'm not in a swing state, so I don't see these adds on TV. If I did, I would demand that the TV station removed them. If they did not, I would inform their local advertisers that a boycot was coming, so they better call the station and get these stupid adds removed!!!

[publicatdamagnificen]

The U.S. Great Britain, France, etc also are pissed at Chavez because he had the unmitigated gall to nationalize the oil.

[D.D]

are you sure, he gave free health care and education, gave equal opportunities of different ethnicities in the work place and parliament, cleaning the slums of ghettos

[TurboDally]

The sucky thing is that you're forced to chose between a loser, and a big ass loser- neither can be trusted and I'm hoping people would realise that they don't really have much of what you would call "choice".

[krumble]

Lots of Cubans were very happy with Castro in the 60's.

[ElPueblo]

I just love it that when Romney tried to speak Spanish, it was apparently "unintelligible gibberish".

[TheBlankMan-hqle]

"Those ads reminded me of what castro would run, " some day that will be a classic.

[Guernicaman]

To be fair, most Americans (Democrats or Republicans) know who the hell Che Gevara was.

[FLA-TNI]

0:44 "unintelligible gibberish"
I laughed. hard.

[oexnorth]

I don't believe for one minute that that lady doesn't know who Che Guevara is. Let's keep it real, here.

[javierdelvalle]

Chavez doesn't get even close to Bush in the issue of personal freedoms, you don't have unlimited detentions, suspension of Habeas Corpus nor a Patriot Act in Venezuela, despite the fact that in 2002 a coup was made in with the democratic government was overthrown for 48 hours, putting Venezuela's Freedom in jeopardy, unlike in the US where freedom is used like a metaphor.

[Mephistahpheles]

Same reason we can't talk about communism, socialism, dictatorships: propaganda.

We're taught that various systems are government are good/evil, when, in fact....they are neither. They're just systems. All have advantages and disadvantages.

Most importantly, ALL can be abused and harmful if/when controlled by evil people.
Similarly, ALL can be used & helpful if/when controlled by good people.