Can conservative Latin American populists motivate the Hispanic vote? Republicans are counting on it

By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON
Associated Press

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — In this U.S. election year, the Republican Party is aligning with some Latin American populists. It’s a way of injecting star power and the political landscape of immigrants’ home countries into this year’s campaign for president. GOP leaders have made inroads with Cuban and Venezuelan Americans in South Florida by attacking the self-declared socialist leaders of those countries. Now, top Republicans are trying to replicating that model by promoting ties between Donald Trump and leaders who are well known by Spanish-speaking voters across the United States. This effort was on display at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference. Among the speakers were Javier Milei, the new president of Argentina, and Nayib Bukele, El Salvador’s president.