Spanish-language media have, to varying degrees, acclaimed Team Biden’s most overt pander to Hispanics yet- the prominent placement of a bronze bust of César Chávez within the Oval Office- as a historic event of great significance. And in enabling this blatant pander, they have also abetted a historical whitewash of Chavez’ mixed legacy.
Watch below for a sampling of the worst instance of this forced Chavez cultism in furtherance of the Biden presidency, which happened on Telemundo’s Un Nuevo Día. A New Day, indeed (click “Expand” to view full transcript):
REBEKA SMYTH: ...President Biden decided to showcase, well, diversity- by placing paintings, for example, of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Alexander Hamilton. But there is one particular piece that, as Hispanics, fills us with pride.
...
We’re talking about the bronze bust of César Chávez, the agricultural leader that fought to create awareness about the harsh conditions endured by farmworkers in the United States.
…
PAUL CHAVEZ: The bust signals a new dawn, a new day
…
SMYTH: Cesar’s dream was that Latinos would have a seat at the table. And today, they don’t just have a seat at the table- we have a spot in the Oval Office. Perhaps the most important office in the world.
...
SMYTH: The Chavez family is synonymous with struggle. And Cesar Chavez’ granddaughter, Paul’s niece, will also be involved with the Biden Administration
…
SMYTH: Thus the Chavez family continues to make history in this country.
…
SMYTH: An incredible story and it fills me with pride that Biden would decide to have Cesar Chavez’ bust, someone who represents Hispanics and has fought so hard for them. But something very interesting, Stephanie, is that I asked Paul, Cesar’s son, how the bust made it to the White House from Los Angeles. And he tells me that they talked to him about borrowing it. And he thought that it was going to be (tucked) in some corner of the White House…
SYMONIDIS: Of course…
SMYTH: ...and he found out in the news…
SYMONIDIS: What a thrill!
SMYTH: ...that it would be inside the Oval Office, and they told him, “we’re asking to borrow it for 4 years but it could be for 8”.
SYMONIDIS: Oh, such a thrill. To me it’s just fabulous, Rebeka, and I’m very happy to hear that his son continues to fight for farmworker rights because all the farmworkers need more assistance. I believe the struggle is constant, it’s a daily effort, many of their rights are not defended and I believe we all must carry on the struggle, as do organizations such as Paul’s.
...
SMYTH: And so the Chavez family is, without a doubt, a fighting family that represents Hispanics and says that where there’s a will, there’s a way.
…
SMYTH: (Biden’s) personal touch (in the Oval Office) is undoubtedly based on democracy, and on the Founders of this country, which seems great to me, and also diversity.
SYMONIDIS: That’s right, and they said that one of the busts they removed was Winston Churchill’s- to be replaced (with the bust) of Cesar Chavez, so…
SMYTH: Well. Cesar Chavez has more history in this country than does Winston Churchill.
SYMONIDIS: No doubt.
The entire segment ran over five minutes- a saccharine look at the Chavez family that bordered on hagiography, complete with an infomercial for Julie Chávez Rodriguez, who is now the White House Director for Intergovernmental Affairs.
But the nation’s leading Spanish-language networks, in their rush to help Team Biden sell the Chávez bust as a grand gesture of inclusion, omitted one major detail: César Chávez was an ardent opponent of illegal immigration- which these networks support and advocate for at all times.
Chávez was a hero to most- but he was best known for referring to illegal immigrants as “wetbacks” who streamed over the border by the thousands in order to displace American workers. Such news, if reported accurately (or at all), might come as a shock to viewers of Univision, Telemundo, CNN En Español and Estrella TV. But wait, there’s more.
Did you know that Chávez also organized protests against the Immigration and Naturalization Service (yesteryear’s ICE), demanding that deportations be stepped up? Or that he called for the doxxing of illegal farm workers so that they might be turned over for deportation? None of that was disclosed to viewers of these shows, who were instead sold ahistorical propaganda about how Uncle Joe really cares about Hispanics.
The swipe at Winston Churchill’s legacy is really the icing on Telemundo’s ahistorical cake, and proof evident that the market continues to cry out for an alternative.
This propaganda whopper was brought to you by McDonald’s. Call them out on their support for campaign advertising masquerading as news.
Click "expand" to view the full transcript of the segment, as aired on Telemundo’s Un Nuevo Día on Monday, January 25th, 2021:
STEPHANIE SYMONIDIS: We now welcome our colleague Rebeka Smyth who will tell us about this gesture from President Joe Biden that has filled all of us Hispanics with hope. How are you, my dear Rebeka? Good morning.
REBEKA SMYTH: Good morning, my Steph. It is very interesting, and this is the reason: each president places their own personal touch on the Oval Office inside the White House- as we mentioned previously on this program- but this time President Biden decided to showcase, well, diversity- by placing paintings, for example, of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Alexander Hamilton. But there is one particular piece that, as Hispanics, fills us with pride. Check this out.
We’re talking about the bronze bust of César Chávez, the agricultural leader that fought to create awareness about the harsh conditions endured by farmworkers in the United States. Paul Chávez is César’s son, and he continues to build upon his father’s legacy. He says that this signals a new era for Hispanics.
PAUL CHAVEZ: The bust signals a new dawn, a new day where we want our community to be recognized, and we are happy.
SMYTH: What does it mean for you as a son to know that your father has made it- from the fields to the Oval Office?
CHAVEZ: When we first saw it behind his desk, in the midst of the pictures of his family members, it was a great joy.
SMYTH: Paul says that his father Cesar Chavez comes from a humble family, with no (formal) education. He was embarrassed to receive recognition. The thing is that he felt ordinary, hence he fought and fought. So that ordinary people could have opportunities.
CHAVEZ: Although he was around presidents and politicians and very powerful people, he always felt more at home- more comfortable around working people. He always had a great deal of respect towards humble people, and for me, this is the greatest example I have...it was the affection that he had for his working-class brothers and sisters.
SMYTH: When you think, “Cesar Chavez, my father”, what comes to your mind?
CHAVEZ: “Although the work may be hard, you only lose when you stop struggling...”
SMYTH: And one time, Paul says, they lost a political campaign. And it was then that his father told him, “the struggle is not like a baseball game or a football game where whoever scores the most runs wins.” He remembers these words as though it were yesterday.
SMYTH: Cesar’s dream was that Latinos would have a seat at the table. And today, they don’t just have a seat at the table- we have a spot in the Oval Office. Perhaps the most important office in the world.
Farmworkers, documented and undocumented, have been affected by this pandemic. Do you believe that the Biden Administration will work to help our community, especially those out in the field?
CHAVEZ: The pandemic has hit us very hard throughout the Southwest and especially Latinos, with those who work in the fields, so we hope that the president’s plan will benefit us all.
SMYTH: The Chavez family is synonymous with struggle. And Cesar Chavez’ granddaughter, Paul’s niece, will also be involved with the Biden Administration as she will no less than have oversight of intergovernmental affairs. And this is what Paul remembers of “La Niña”, as he affectionately calls her.
She will always be your “Niña”.
CHAVEZ: She always displayed leadership and she was always involved in all the campaigns. And I remember once hearing some men talking, and one said to the other, “watch out for that girl, because I think that one day we’ll all be working for her.”
SMYTH: Thus, the Chavez family continues to make history in this country.
An incredible story and it fills me with pride that Joe Biden would decide to have Cesar Chavez’ bust, someone who represents Hispanics and has fought so hard for them. But something very interesting, Stephanie, is that I asked Paul, Cesar’s son, how the bust made it to the White House from Los Angeles. And he tells me that they talked to him about borrowing it. And he thought that it was going to be (tucked away) in some corner of the White House…
SYMONIDIS: Of course…
SMYTH: ...and he found out in the news…
SYMONIDIS: What a thrill!
SMYTH: ...that it would be inside the Oval Office, and they told him, “we’re asking to borrow it for 4 years but it could be for 8”.
SYMONIDIS: Oh, such a thrill. To me it’s just fabulous, Rebeka, and I’m very happy to hear that his son continues to fight for farmworker rights because all the farmworkers need more assistance. I believe the struggle is constant, it’s a daily effort, many of their rights are not defended and I believe we all must carry on the struggle, as do organizations such as Paul’s.
SMYTH: That’s right and Julie Chávez, who is Paul’s niece and Cesar’s granddaughter, in other words Paul’s sister is Julie’s mother, now she will be in the White House and she will be representing intergovernmental relations at the White House- and so the Chavez family is, without a doubt, a fighting family that represents Hispanics and says that where there’s a will, there’s a way.
SYMONIDIS: Every day, Latinos contribute our share here in the United States and in the political arena, so congratulations. Thank you for that great interview, Rebeka Smyth.
SMYTH: Thank you, Steph.
