The recent mailer from the Pennsylvania Democratic Party contains an endorsement for Kamala Harris from Victor Martinez, a Hispanic radio host from Allentown known for making racist comments. Martinez, who owns La Mega radio, appears in a Harris campaign ad running in Philadelphia, Allentown, and Reading. The mailer shows Martinez offering his support for Harris as a candidate who listens, but Martinez has a history of making wildly racist remarks on his morning show, El Relajo de la Mañana. In May 2021, Martinez went on an on-air tirade about black tourists visiting Puerto Rico, making derogatory comments about their behavior.
During his rant, Martinez described a “wave of African Americans” descending on Puerto Rico and made disparaging remarks about female tourists walking almost naked, fighting with police, destroying hotel rooms, and engaging in other unruly behavior. His co-host, Luis “Diamond Boy” Torres, also made racist remarks implying that black tourists are apes. Martinez and Torres joked about the tourists and mocked their supposed support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The conversation took a darker turn when Torres made derogatory comments about the appearance of the tourists, while Martinez made inappropriate comments about recording them.
Despite his history of racist comments, Martinez has interviewed many Democratic candidates on his show, including Vice-Presidential nominee Tim Walz. During his interview with Walz, Martinez criticized the Trump administration’s response to Hurricane Maria in 2017, accusing the former president of not recognizing Puerto Ricans as American citizens. Martinez also interviewed Rep. Susan Wild, a vulnerable House Democrat from the area, on his show last month. Despite Martinez’s endorsement of Harris in the mailer, his past racist comments have raised concerns about the Democratic Party’s associations with individuals who make such remarks.
The mailer featuring Martinez’s endorsement of Harris has been distributed in Pennsylvania’s Latino belt of Allentown, Reading, and Hazleton. Although Martinez presents himself as a supporter of Harris and Democratic candidates, his history of making racist comments has caused outrage and controversy. The Pennsylvania Democratic Party’s decision to feature Martinez in the mailer has been criticized, with many questioning the party’s judgment in aligning themselves with someone known for making derogatory remarks about black tourists and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
Martinez’s comments about black tourists in Puerto Rico highlight the pervasiveness of racism within the Latino community and the need for conversations about anti-Blackness and discrimination. By showcasing Martinez in a campaign ad and mailer, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party has inadvertently highlighted the issue of racism within its ranks. Moving forward, it is essential for the party to address these concerns and take steps to ensure that individuals who make racist comments are not promoted or endorsed by the party. Ultimately, the controversy surrounding Martinez’s endorsement of Harris reflects broader issues of racism and discrimination that need to be addressed within the political sphere.
