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Some officials have outright urged Trump not to travel to South Texas for fear it will incite more violence and disregard for social distancing and mask-wearing. The Rio Grande Valley has always been one of the areas of Texas hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic with a recent spike in hospitalizations.
“[S]uch a public event can trigger similar conduct and further affect the current severe COVID-19 crisis located in Cameron County and the Rio Grande Valley, ”said Eddie Treviño Jr., judge for neighboring Cameron County on Tuesday morning.
Trump’s visit marks the first time he has gone out in public since the deadly riots on Capitol Hill. Trump told reporters before boarding his plane for Alamo that he did not want violence and touted the controversial border wall for making “a huge difference on the southern border.”
James Darling, Mayor of the nearby town of McAllen, says he understands “Let the emotions run high on both sides”, but also called for peaceful protests.
“Passions are dangerously high among supporters and opponents of President Trump,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez said ahead of Trump’s trip to the region. “I urge both sides to harness these passions, because ultimately the Rio Grande Valley has a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the world that peaceful public discourse is far more effective than public violence.”
Still, protesters from all political backgrounds were to be in South Texas to express their support for and against Trump.
Hidalgo County GOP members “called on all conservatives, patriots and freedom fighters” on Facebook and Twitter to welcome Trump to the border area with posters.
LUPE, a non-profit organization founded by farm workers and civil rights leaders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, has announced that it will hold a rally against Trump and white supremacy. The group criticized local officials for not having a stronger message against Trump’s visit.
“This leadership failure will now result in white supremacists freely rallying in our streets. We condemn this lack of leadership. In the event of violence on Tuesday, all officials who did nothing to stop this visit will be held accountable for their failure to address community concerns, ”the group wrote in a statement.
While President-elect Joe Biden comfortably won the majority Latino county that Trump goes to, Hidalgo County is one of the areas in South Texas where Trump made his most significant improvements in the 2020 election. Trump has increased its numbers by more than 23% compared to 2016, but still lost 17%.
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