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Nury Martínez resigned from the presidency of the Los Angeles City Council.
Nury Martínez, president of the Los Angeles City Council and one of the most powerful Latino politicians in the American city, resigned from that position on Monday after the controversy generated by a leak in which racist comments are heard.
Among other derogatory remarks, he said that the African-American son of Councilman Mike Bonin “looks like changuito”. And she compared it to an accessory her colleague wears “on her side.” “He brings it like this, during the Black History month (…). He brings the black of him, like on the side“.
The comments were made in the context of a meeting held in October 2021 with Councilmembers Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León and the president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, Ron Herrera.
But they were disclosed by Los Angeles Times this Sunday, one month before the mayoral elections on November 8, which coincide with the mid-term elections, which are held every four years, halfway through a president’s term, and are crucial to the direction he will take the country.
According to the newspaper, the conversation was shared on the social network Reddit by a now suspended user, and it’s unclear who recorded it.
Much of the conversation focused on the city’s redistricting commission’s proposed maps and councilmembers’ frustration with them, as well as the need to “ensure that majority-Latino districts don’t lose economic assets” in the process, according to the newspaper.
But at one point the councilmen talked about Bonin, a white man.
In the released audios, Martínez is heard remembering a conversation from the past and saying: “Bonin thinks he is a (…) black.” And this is followed by the comments already mentioned about his son, to which Cedillo and De León add others.
image source, Getty Images
Councilman Kevin de León (left, next to Nury Martínez) apologized for some comments that, he said, did not live up to what is expected of his position.
And they also make derogatory comments about the appearance of some residents of Mexican origin in the Koreatown neighborhood. “I see a lot of short, dark-skinned people,” is one of the phrases. “So ugly”, another.
“There are no excuses”
Reactions to the leak were immediate, with councilors and other authorities, as well as various organizations, calling for Martínez’s resignation.
“We are shocked, angry and absolutely disgusted because Nury Martinez attacked our son with horrific racist slurs and talked about wanting to physically harm him. He is vile, abominable and completely disgraceful,” Bonin and her husband, Sean Arian, said in a statement.
“There is no place for racist language and hateful inflammatory rhetoric to coexist with the duties of public service,” said the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (Naleo) of the United States.
Likewise, a series of protesters arrived at the Democrat’s house on Sunday with banners and megaphones requesting her resignation.
Given this, the politician announced on Monday his withdrawal from office.
“I take responsibility for what I said and there are no excuses for those comments. I am very sorry,” he said.
“As someone who believes deeply in the empowerment of communities of color, I recognize that my comments undermine that goal.”he added, without making it clear if in addition to that of president of the Council, he also resigned his position as councilor.
The Californian made history in 2019 by being named the first Latina president of the Los Angeles City Council.
The other councilors who are heard in the discussion, and who have also been questioned for their comments, apologized for their words.
De León said in a statement that the comments were “totally inappropriate” and added that he did not live up to the requirements of his position.
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