LCLAA Vehemently Condemns the Insurrection and Acts of Violence Perpetrated by Trump Supporters
Press Release
7 January 2021
LCLAA vehemently condemns the acts of violence and insurrection that took place in our nation’s capital on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. This seditious and lamentable event, was led by extremist and racist groups in an attempt to change the results of the presidential election. What is worse, this assault on our democracy was encouraged by the very person who is supposed to guarantee American safety; President Trump.
Since taking office in 2017, Trump has done nothing but divide our country, by planting hatred and bigotry. For far too long Trump has fed lies and misinformation to his supporters, through incendiary messages that undermined our nation’s democracy, the will of the people, and therefore resulted in these unacceptable acts of domestic terrorism.
Yesterday we witnessed Trump applaud this despicable attempted coup, yet a few months ago, he condemned scores of Americans who took to the streets in defense of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery’s life, to name just three of the countless lives that have been lost due to the escalation in racial injustice.
LCLAA stands with a growing number of legislators who believe that the president’s removal from office is warranted. The most immediate way of doing so would be by invoking the 25 Amendment. This would require Vice President Pence, along with a majority of the Cabinet to declare the President “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” in a written declaration. Additionally we demand that all elected officials who have enabled the president’s detrimental actions be held accountable. LCLAA will remain committed to peacefully mobilizing and elevating the voices of workers who have spoken through the power of their vote and therefore protecting the democratic values that characterize our nation.
“We are witnessing a blatant attempt against the voice of the people, against voters and the constitution and democratic processes and values, and it is shameful to see that it is our nation’s president, the one who is encouraging this illegal insurrection,” said Yanira Merino, LCLAA National President. “It is our responsibility to ensure that our elected officials respect the will of the people, and LCLAA is committed to continue mobilizing and peacefully elevating our voices of working families and in defense of our democracy.”
“We cannot sit and silently contemplate our rights being ripped away from us, and our voices being silenced. LCLAA joins those who are demanding immediate action be taken in order to hold those responsible for yesterday’s seditious acts, fully accountable, said Jose Vargas, LCLAA Executive Director. “Yesterday’s violent mob, largely remained unmolested by police authorities, a stark contrast to what we have seen happen to protestors of color, who for over a year have peacefully taken to the streets their demand for equal rights, and have been met with tear gas, rubber bullets and swinging batons. We need congress to act now in order to eradicate the hatred, divisions and mayhem that this president has instituted as part of his policy agenda. Our nation’s future depends on us acting today.”
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The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) is the leading national organization for Latino(a) workers and their families. LCLAA was born in 1972 out of the need to educate, organize and mobilize Latinos in the labor movement and has expanded its influence to organize Latinos in an effort to impact workers’ rights and their influence in the political process. LCLAA represents the interest of more than 2 million Latino workers in the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), The Change to Win Federation, Independent Unions and all its membership. Visit LCLAA on the web at www.lclaa.org, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.