Democrats’ Progressive Pitch Lost in Translation for Many Hispanic Voters

Many Hispanic voters, particularly those from parts of Latin America, are distancing themselves from the Democratic Party due to messaging and symbols that remind them of political unrest in their home countries, according to new research.

For immigrants from Cuba and Venezuela, symbols like the raised fist and even the term “progressive” evoke memories of the repressive authoritarian regimes from which they’ve fled. And these associations are increasingly influencing their voting decisions, according to political strategist Evelyn Pérez-Verdia, the founder of We Are Más, a South Florida social-impact organization.

“A raised fist is closely tied to historical references to communism or socialism and is often associated with the brutal treatment of citizens in Latin America, which they have also experienced under right-wing dictatorships,” Pérez-Verdia told Newsweek.

Similarly, the term “progresista” in Spanish translates to “progressive” in English, but its meaning can vary depending on the context. In Latin America, it evokes a sense of radical political change or anti-imperialism, while in other contexts, it might simply refer to moderate progress toward social justice.

“Progresista” is also often used to describe left-leaning political movements in the region, such as those led by Hugo Chavez and Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in Argentina, Evo Morales in Bolivia, and Gustavo Petro in Colombia. Those politicians tend to be deeply unpopular among their countries’ diasporas in America.

Having lived in Florida for over 20 years, Pérez-Verdia, who is of Colombian descent, has observed the shift among Hispanic voters in what was once a highly contested state. She says nearly 150,000 Florida Hispanics have left the Democratic Party since 2020, with many switching to “No Party Affiliation” or defecting to the Republicans.

According to Pérez-Verdia, who shared her findings in Caracas Chronicles, an English-language website focused on Venezuelan news and analysis, much of this shift is due to Republicans being more effective in communicating with Hispanic voters than Democrats.

“They rarely miss an opportunity in speeches and on social media to link Democratic Party leaders to repressive Latin American regimes,” she said. “They also engage with figures like Argentina’s president Javier Milei and El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele, both of whom are very popular with the Hispanic diaspora.”

Both Milei and Bukele are populist firebrands who came to power on promises of reform — economic for Milei and criminal justice for Bukele.

While Democrats have mostly either ignored them entirely or framed them as Trump-like authoritarians, many Hispanics view them as doing what few other leaders could: in Argentina, delivering shock therapy to a moribund economy that has led to lower inflation and an easing housing crisis.

And in El Salvador, a dismantling of organized crime and gang warfare that has transformed the small Central American nation from one of the most dangerous in the Western Hemisphere to one of the safest.

While younger Hispanic voters may connect with progressive standardbearers like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders on issues like climate change and social justice, many older Hispanic voters — particularly those who have experienced political instability in countries like Venezuela or Cuba — view such alliances with skepticism, said Pérez-Verdia.

“The consequences of the Democrats’ use of triggering messaging and symbols and not addressing the concerns of our expat communities will continue to be revealed as more Hispanic Democrats jump off the ship,” she said.

The challenge for Democrats is not just about symbolism. A recent UnidosUS poll found that while Kamala Harris leads Donald Trump among Hispanic voters, her 59 percent support is slightly below the 61 percent Joe Biden secured in 2020. The poll also shows a growing number of undecided voters, indicating that many Hispanics are not fully aligned with either party.

A recent Univision poll was even more discouraging for Democrats, suggested Hispanic voters have swung more than 30 points in the GOP’s favor since 2016.

“A Mexican American born in California might be motivated by progressive symbols like the raised fist, but it could provoke rejection from a Venezuelan-born, now-naturalized Florida voter,” Pérez-Verdia said.

“We are diverse, but many things unite us, like wanting the best for our future and families.”

Elizabeth Vaquera, associate professor of sociology and director of the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute at George Washington University, told Newsweek that Democrats’ strategy with the Hispanic population has evolved from what it was 20 or 30 years ago.

“Campaigns continue to make the mistake of thinking about Hispanics as a monolith. The Hispanic population has changed significantly in recent years, and with the share of eligible young Hispanic voters growing rapidly, campaigns need to ensure their strategies reflect this reality,” she said.

Vaquera said that while immigration might be the issue that mobilizes some Hispanics, many more are more concerned with broader kitchen-table concerns like the cost of college, financial independence and access to meaningful and stable employment.

“If they don’t see themselves reflected in the language, arguments, or policies being put forward by either campaign, they might ask, ‘Why should I vote if neither side speaks to me?’ This could lead to low voter turnout among Hispanics this November,” Vaquera said.

Like with the broader electorate, the economy remains the most important issue for Hispanic voters in November, followed by healthcare (71 percent), violent crime (62 percent), gun policy (62 percent) and immigration (59 percent), according to Pew Research Center.

From 2016 to 2024, the number of Hispanics eligible to vote grew from 27 million to a projected 36 million. Pew data also shows that among Hispanic registered voters, 79 percent of Harris supporters and 77 percent of Trump supporters are certain to vote for their candidate.

That suggests both parties still have a chance to make inroads with the roughly 2 in 10 Hispanic voters who remain less certain. In an election that could be closer than any in recent memory, those numbers could make a difference.