South Florida, notably Miami, has been taking significant strides toward a political realignment with the Republican Party.
This transition is on full display with the resurgence of former President Donald Trump in the region, who is currently the front-runner for the 2024 GOP nomination.
Trump’s latest visit to the city has made Miami the epicenter of a national drama, focusing on 37 felony charges related to the allegedly illegal retention of classified information that he faces.
Despite the charges, Trump’s popularity among Florida’s Latino population appears undeterred, according to an Associated Press (AP) report.
Rather, many have likened his prosecution to episodes in Latin America and the Caribbean, where opposition leaders are frequently targeted by those in power.
“These are the sort of things that you see in the Caribbean and Latin America, where you have the party in power persecuting the opposition,” commented Kevin Marino Cabrero, a Miami-Dade County commissioner and a Trump ally who also served as the Florida state director for his 2020 reelection campaign.
He added, “This community, what it sees is injustice being committed.”
The transformation of Miami-Dade County, Florida’s most populous and home to 1.5 million Latino voters, from a Democratic stronghold to a Republican-dominated area is striking.
In the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton had a nearly 30-percentage point lead over Trump.
However, this margin narrowed to 7 points against Joe Biden in 2020, indicating a shift in Latino voter preference.
The Republican Party, under Gov. Ron DeSantis, a vocal Trump supporter, secured a victory in Miami-Dade by an 11-point margin in last year’s midterm elections.
This shift was noticeable last week when Rep. Carlos Gimenez, a Republican congressman with Cuban origins who had previously supported Clinton in 2016, joined Trump for a game of golf.
Gimenez later endorsed Trump in the 2020 election, despite the tumultuous Capitol events on January 6, 2021.
Moreover, Trump’s connection with the Latino community extends beyond political alliances.
A considerable population of Venezuelans resides in the Miami suburb of Doral, earning it the nickname “Doralzuela.”
This community, as Ernesto Ackerman, a member of the Venezuelan-American Republican Club, states, believes that “Trump has been persecuted for six years. They are looking for excuses to impeach him because they are terrified of him.”
They see similarities between Trump’s prosecution and their own experiences with political persecution abroad, according to AP.
Miami’s rightward drift is not only reflected in electoral outcomes but is also visible in the enthusiastic support that Trump receives from his base.
At a rally with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio last year, thousands of supporters turned up bearing placards reading “Cubans for Trump,” “Nicaraguans for Trump” and “Venezuelans for Trump.”
Echoing the crowd’s chant of “We love you! We love you!” Trump reciprocated by saying, “Oh, do I love you, too. You have no idea how much.”
As Trump makes his initial court appearance in Miami today, the city braces for potential protests from his fervent supporters.
Alex Otaola, a Cuban-born YouTube personality running for Miami-Dade County mayor, has called on his followers to protest against Trump’s prosecution.
Despite concerns about possible disruptions, Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales expressed confidence in managing the situation without specifying any security measures.
The political dynamics of South Florida have played out in high-profile national security cases in the past, including the prosecution of Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega and American al-Qaeda recruit Jose Padilla.
This evolving landscape may have implications for Trump’s defense strategy, as his court case unfolds in the region.
Palm Beach County, which also swung Republican in recent elections, might provide some tactical advantages.
The increased media attention and security measures required for Trump’s court proceedings could be contributing factors for Miami being the venue for his initial appearance, as former federal prosecutor David Weinstein suggested.
Nevertheless, Trump seems to be capitalizing on the spotlight, frequently boasting about the affection he receives from his followers.
Despite the legal battles ahead, Trump’s popularity in Miami indicates the city’s definitive shift toward the Republican Party.
