Along Lexington Avenue, between 112th Street and Third Avenue, in the heart of Spanish Harlem, there is a heterogeneous community. After being a traditionally Puerto Rican and Dominican neighborhood, it has turned into an enclave with a strong Mexican presence, as many Mexicans have made the neighborhood their home.
Among tacos, enchiladas and stores with Caribbean music, passers-by gave their opinions on the primary elections in New Hampshire, the “Obama phenomenon” and the Republican options, with only a month left before the primaries in the Big Apple.
“It is a different election during very hard times. Here in El Barrio the vast majority are Democrats and would prefer a drastic change, and both Hillary and Obama represent that change,” said Ecuadorian Fernando Luengo, at the exit of the 116th Street subway, “because he’s Black, and the other because she’s a woman.”
At a corner newsstand, the front pages of English- and Spanish-language newspapers displayed the faces of the New York senator and her now surprising opponent, Barack Obama, while the polls inside showed that the other contenders have been left behind.
Joel Martínez, who runs the newsstand, said that early in the morning, the “old men” in neighborhoods show up to discuss the candidates, and how the economy and quality of life were better before. “Even though politics doesn’t interest me much, I know the difference between a good candidate and a liar. And up to now, I‘ve only seen them making pretty speeches,” he added.
Eugenio Herrera, the owner of a store that sells Mexican cowboy hats and boots, expressed a similar opinion. “You have to listen closely to the candidates’ speeches, because sometimes they change what they say depending on what state they’re in,” he said, while he eating a quesadilla at the stand he set up in front of his business three years ago.
Several men from Veracruz, Mexico City, Oaxaca and Puebla arrived, and without wasting a breath they compared the Mexican political parties to those in the United States. “They are all the same, same promises and the same lies. That’s the point. The people have been lied to too much, especially Hispanics, and then they say that the people don’t participate,” said Jacinto Morales.
