Two years ago, Fernando Nunez went door-to-door in searing heat to help Donald Trump win Arizona and take back the White House.
asserted
Trump → go → House
But in next week’s midterm elections, he won’t be voting for candidates backed by the Republican president.
asserted
he → vote → president
“Trump betrayed us.
asserted
Trump → betray → us
He did a whole 180,” said the 22-year-old American, whose family has Mexican roots.
asserted
family → do → roots
Nunez had been drawn to the Republican billionaire’s promises: lowering prices, ending international wars, and releasing all of the files in the Jeffrey Epstein probe.
asserted
Nunez → draw → probe
Now he is furious about the administration’s lack of transparency over Epstein — the late convicted sex offender who was a friend of Trump — as well as the war being waged against Iran, which has driven up gas prices and fueled broader inflation.
asserted
which → convict → inflation
“Gas, insurance, food: everything went up and is more expensive than ever,” complained Nunez, who works as a sales rep and says he earns $1,600 a month.
asserted
he → go → 1,600
“We’re not supposed to be at war with Iran.
asserted
We → suppose → Iran
We’re only in this war because of Israel.”
asserted
We → ’re → Israel
Nunez says he will vote on November 3 for independent candidates — neither Republican nor Democratic.
asserted
he → say → candidates
Yuma County, where Nunez lives, perfectly illustrates the shift to the right within the Latino community in the United States, a trend that contributed to Trump’s victory in 2024.
asserted
that → live → 2024
In this corner of the Southwest, where the border wall between the United States and Mexico dominates the horizon, the Republican won by a 20-point margin.
asserted
Republican → dominate → margin
In Somerton, an agricultural town whose population is almost entirely Latino and typically favours the Democrats, about 40 per cent of residents voted for Trump in 2024.
asserted
cent → favour → 2024
Mayor Gerardo Anaya says he thinks this was because they were angry at the runaway inflation seen under former president Joe Biden, as well as the daily influx of thousands of migrants.
asserted
they → say → migrants
“It was just a vote against the Biden administration,” the left-leaning mayor said.
asserted
mayor → lean → administration
But those who chose Trump are now experiencing a “rude awakening,” he added.
asserted
he → choose → awakening
In this small town, which is surrounded by fields of lettuce, the parking lot of the only supermarket is abuzz with complaints.
asserted
lot → surround → complaints
Residents who spoke with AFP expressed outrage over the price of carne asada — a typical Mexican-style grilled meat — and the cost of diesel.
Rocketing gasoline prices have made a popular local pastime, driving off-road buggies in the desert, more expensive.
Trump’s image as a savvy businessman also no longer carries weight.
asserted
image → speak → weight
“I thought he was going to fix everything, but now I’m done.
asserted
I → think → everything
I don’t want anything to do with him anymore,” said one gardener, who preferred not to give his name.
asserted
who → want → name
While the number of migrants at the border has dropped drastically, the gardener — who is of Mexican descent — said he could not accept the aggressive, large-scale enforcement raids taking place across the United States, some of which have led to the deportation of immigrants with no criminal records.
uncertain
some → drop → records
Trump “said he was going to go after criminals.
asserted
he → say → criminals
That’s not what happened,” he says.
asserted
he → ’ → ?
“He’s a racist and that’s it.”
asserted
that → ’ → ?
National polls show this sense of disillusionment among Latino voters is widespread, offering Democrats the hope that they can capitalise and seize control of at least one house of Congress next week.
But in Somerton, irritation with Trump does not necessarily translate into support for his opponents.
asserted
irritation → show → opponents
The gardener, for one, intends to abstain altogether.
asserted
gardener → intend → one
At his hair salon, Jaime Sanchez remains undecided.
asserted
Sanchez → remain → salon
The 52-year-old had originally chosen Trump because of what he said was his opposition to abortion and his commitment to “family values.”
asserted
he → choose → values
However, he admits to being troubled by the administration’s immigration policy, which can lead to the deportation of law-abiding adults, risking their separation from their American-born children.
“When a family isn’t united, there are greater dangers — more gangs, more drugs — because there’s no role model to provide guidance,” he said.
asserted
he → admit → guidance
Jose Manuel Castro, an evangelical pastor from the neighbouring town of San Luis, told AFP he sees “a great deal of discontent.”
asserted
he → tell → discontent
The 75-year-old conservative expects his congregation to cast a protest vote this time around.
asserted
congregation → expect → vote
In the long term, however, he believes that the shift of Latino voters, who tend to be religious, toward the Republican Party is only just beginning.
asserted
who → believe → Party
Many feel uncomfortable with an American Left that champions abortion and the rights of transgender individuals, he said.
asserted
he → feel → individuals
“The Democratic Party promotes things that run counter to the principles of the Word of God,” he said.
asserted
he → promote → God
The Aporia
