In recent weeks, Univision News has offered fresh demonstrations that its biases extend far beyond immigration. The two examples below give us a further glimpse into the leading U.S. Spanish-language network’s institutional biases, and its commitment to progressive politics.
This is how chief anchor Jorge Ramos cheered the Liberal Party’s big win in Canada’s parliamentary elections, which ousted Prime Minister Stephen Harper and swept Justin Trudeau into power.
Jorge Ramos, Anchor: And in Canada, the election of Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister ends a decade of conservative government, and (brings) a return of liberal and humanitarian values to Canadian politics. The victory of the heir of legendary Liberal leader Pierre Trudeau brings the perspective of an improvement in relations with Mexico. For example, Justin Trudeau has promised to repeal the visa requirement for Mexican citizens.
So reactionary is Ramos that he is compelled to paint every conservative with the same brush. Is he suggesting that conservatives and free marketeers are somehow devoid of humanitarian values? How did Canada ever survive the Harper years?
I am guessing that Ramos will be more generous towards the “heir of the legendary Liberal leader”, given his progressive stances on the issues of the day. Of course, the Mexico-centric angle is ever present, which explains the need to highlight the waiver of visa requirements for Mexican nationals traveling into Canada.
Later that evening it was late-night anchor Enrique Acevedo’s turn, this time smearing conservatives opposed to Paul Ryan’s ascendancy to the speakership of the House of Representatives.
Enrique Acevedo: Republican congressman Paul Ryan said that he will seek the speakership of the House of Representatives if his party colleagues support him as the sole candidate to replace his colleague John Boehner. Ryan, from Wisconsin, made the announcement shortly after meeting with members of the conservative group, the hardline, whose demands have created a power vacuum within the lower chamber. The meeting with the so-called Freedom Caucus came prior to a meeting with the entire Republican conference.
Acevedo, like Ramos earlier, brings a reactionary take to what should be a simple news piece. There is no clarification about this so-called “hardline”, no description of the events that led to Rep. Mark Meadows’ filing of the Motion To Vacate, nor any enumeration of Ryan’s other stated demands in exchange for agreeing to serve as Speaker of the House.
Both of these were brief throwaway pieces at the back end of each newscast. But they serve to illustrate the network’s commitment to agenda journalism at all times, even when immigration isn’t front and center.
