A Mexican restaurant owner in Arizona who held a “Latinos Support D. Trump” sign at a recent campaign rally has received a barrage of threats, by Trump opponents, to kill her, burn and bomb her business. But in the face of the hate and vicious threats, the local community has rallied in support of the restaurant, where business is better than ever.
The story of Betty Rivas and Sammy’s Mexican Grill in Catalina, Arizona, some 90 miles north of the border, was the subject of an unusually comprehensive report on the nation’s largest Spanish-language television network, Univision, which typically only highlights anti-Trump perspectives and points of view.
The report, by Univision’s Dulce Mascareño, chronicles Rivas’ story since Trump showed off her pro-Trump sign and showered her with affection during a recent rally.
BETTY RIVAS, SAMMY’S MEXICAN GRILL: they have been insulting me horribly, all the most horrible insults that may exist even saying that they will kill me, that they will shoot up the place, burn the business, put a bomb.
DULCE MASCAREÑO, REPORTER, UNIVISION: Rivas went to the rally accompanied by her three sons and her husband, of Salvadorian origin.
JORGE RIVAS, BETTY’S HUSBAND: Maybe we don’t have the same ideas, but really the right to free speech, the right to move, the right to meet with any other person is something constitutional, protected by the Constitution of the United States.
Rivas’ husband, Jorge, provides a most eloquent defense of the couple’s – and everyone’s – right to free speech, civil tolerance and respect, including peaceful assembly. Rights that are evidently under direct attack by virulent anti-Trump agitators.
Also encouraging is that as Mascareño reports, in response to the ugly threats, the community surrounding the restaurant has rallied in support, and business at Sammy’s Mexican Grill is better than ever.
Below are relevant portions of the report, which appeared during the March 25 edition of Univision’s Edición Nocturna.
NOTICIERO UNIVISION: EDICION NOCTURNA
3/25/16
11:44:46 – 11:47:31 PM EST | 2 MIN 45 SECS
MARIANA ATENCIO, ANCHOR, UNIVISION: A Hispanic woman from the city of Catalina, Arizona says that she is living under very difficult moments, confessing that she even feels a lot of fear. Everything began when she attended a political act of Donald Trump carrying a sign supporting the real estate mogul. The Republican candidate invited her to get on stage and today, since then, says that her life has never been the same since. Dulce Mascareño tells us why Betty Rivas fears for her future and that of her family.
DULCE MASCAREÑO, REPORTER, UNIVISION: Betty Rivas has dedicated the last 19 years of her life to working next to her husband in the family business, Sammy’s Mexican Grill. A Mexican restaurant located in Catalina, Arizona, 90 miles away from the border with Mexico. The business has become the epicenter of the immigration debate.
DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE: Look at that sign! Latinos support Trump! I love you! I love you! I want that sign!
DULCE MASCAREÑO, REPORTER, UNIVISION: After seeing in a campaign event in Tucson, AZ, the Republican candidate Donald Trump saw that Betty Rivas carried a sign saying “Latinos support Trump”, and the mogul immediately asked Betty to get up on stage with him.
BETTY RIVAS, BUSINESS OWNER, ARIZONA: He simply said thank you, and that he liked my sign a lot…
DULCE MASCAREÑO, REPORTER, UNIVISION: Here in Betty Rivas’ family business, they have received calls of many kinds, including threatening ones, that have made them call the authorities to report them.
BETTY RIVAS, SAMMY'S MEXICAN GRILL: And then they are attacking me, because they have been insulting me horribly, all the most horrible insults that may exist even saying that they will kill me, that they will shoot up the place, burn the business, put a bomb.
DULCE MASCAREÑO, REPORTER, UNIVISION: Rivas went to the rally accompanies by her three sons and her husband, of Salvadorian origins.
JORGE RIVAS, BETTY'S HUSBAND: Maybe we don’t have the same ideas, but really the right to free speech, the right to move, the right to meet with any other person is something constitutional, protected by the Constitution of the United States.
DULCE MASCAREÑO, REPORTER, UNIVISION: The Rivas family assures that sales in their business have tripled since the encounter with the Republican candidate.
