Hillary Clinton said she was prepared for the first presidential debate on Monday, but are Latinos prepared to vote for her come November?
Well, that depends on who you ask.
While many Latinos have spoken out in support of Hillary Clinton and have denounced her opponent Donald Trump, many others have expressed apathy and distrust for the Democratic presidential nominee, proving once again that Latinos are not ― and should not be regarded as ― a monolith.
They care about a broad range of issues ― some of which they are not aligned on with Clinton.
It’s with this in mind that HuffPost Latino Voices asked our followers on Facebook and Instagram to sound off with their personal thoughts on Clinton ahead of the Monday’s debate.
Here’s what some of them had to say:
1. “Hillary showed us (Latinx) that she is ready to represent America and be a world leader. Latinx can now see that she knows what our plight has been and will work to improve our lives.” - Laura Guzman
2. “Secretary Clinton is a superb politician. She is our abuela one second, and then shouts that we must deport children to their certain deaths in Guatemala or Honduras to ‘send a message.’ It is not clear what message she is trying to communicate, but it is not one of respect.” - Sonya Herridge
3. “I grew up in Venezuela surrounded by strong and wise women, they had a great impact in my life and created in me an abiding admiration and respect for all women, I will be voting for a strong and wise woman; Hillary Clinton.” - Cornelio Nouel
4. “Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has shown us, during this initial debate, how she will handle a volatile personality with grace as president of the United States.” - Maria Juarez
5. “Being the first female to be nominated to the highest office in the U.S., Hillary demonstrated with today’s debate that even dealing with a hostile opponent, she has continuously been ready to take office.” - Sophia Olazaba
6. “Trump’s rhetoric is small-minded, and I am still appalled some of my fellow Americans voted for him & have fallen prey to his false pretenses. It’s a shame. It’s so obvious to me, Hillary Clinton, is the more experienced candidate and it matters to me that our country holds onto some respect and not be lead by a narcissistic laughing stock like Trump.” - Lendy Salazar
7. “Although Hillary is not the best candidate, I admire her perseverance and ability to take responsibility for her mistakes. She has been in politics for almost five decades and has the experience to make America a better place for future generations. Let’s not forget that America is already great compared to many countries.” - Esmeralda Blanco
8. “In simple terms, I will say that Hillary Clinton is willing to listen and empathize. Anyone who has ever been marginalized in their life will tell you how important these two qualities are. Then after comes learning then comes change. ✌️❤️😊#ImWithHer.” - Patrick Armijo
9. “Her stance on unaccompanied minors is concerning. I worry that deportations will continue under her watch. She has been quick to send us into conflict and I am troubled by her open support as First Lady, of Bill’s legislation that helped to create the prison industrial complex.” - Yvette Fraga
10. “I respect that Hillary’s campaign has published articles in Spanish, including her position on the issues, since the beginning. I think that shows that they value the Latino vote and are aware of the issues Latinos face in the US.” - Desirée M. Matías
11. “Hillary Clinton is the embodiment of neoliberalism and has benefited off the backs of POC communities. She is a selfish coward that continues to make empty promises while capitalizing off of minority votes.” - Veronica
12. “Hillary is the most qualified presidential candidate this great nation has ever had. She’s been a champion for gender equality, ensuring children have health care coverage and the list goes on and on. As an Latina, as a mom, as an American I’m proud to stand with Hillary. #imwithher.” - Jessie Vera-Barrett
13. “She doesn’t truly care about the border. She doesn’t have my vote.” - Klarissa Marie Robles
14. “I was always going to vote for her because there is no alternative, but she actually won my vote by naming ‘systemic racism’ and ‘implicit bias.’” - melgonzi
15. “Hillary Clinton has proven time and again throughout her illustrious career that she is a strong leader. She makes decisions based on the facts at hand and course corrects when new information comes in. She understands the foundational values of our country and how to apply them to the realities of the time in which we live. She demonstrated during the debate her command of national and world politics and her readiness to take on the role of POTUS.” - Diana Medina
16. “I’m with her because she’s with my husband. My husband came to this country as a child from Mexico. Under President Obama, my husband was finally afforded some protection with DACA. I’m with her because she has vowed to protect and expand DACA so that my husband can stay and work and have the life he deserves. She’s with us, she’s with my husband.” - Jerry Carrizales
17. “Hillary has shown great intelligence, restraint, experience. During this debate she showed her dedication to serving us while Trump only shown his willingness to fight and interrupt. Shes got the detailed plan while he has his words with no data to back it up. Hillary won easily this debate.” Daniel Suria Rosado
18. “A smart, prepared and dedicated woman, committed to make the world a better place is the best candidate for President.” - Gigi Pedraza
Some quotes have been edited for clarity.
Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularlyincitespolitical violence and is a
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