Valentina Gomez, a Texas Republican and aspiring congressional candidate, is facing intense backlash after posting a video calling for public executions of undocumented immigrants accused of violent crimes.
The controversial video (below), which has drawn millions of views, shows Gomez shooting at a figure tied to a chair with a hood over its head, sparking outrage from civil rights organizations and public officials.
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the U.S., has strongly condemned Gomez’s actions and rhetoric.
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The video, according to LULAC, glorifies vigilantism and perpetuates harmful stereotypes about immigrants.
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“LULAC denounces violent crime in our nation and expresses its deepest condolences to its victims and their loved ones,” said Roman Palomares, LULAC’s national president and chairman of the board. “However, we believe in the Christian principles of justice, not retribution. Using public executions as a hook to a politically motivated message fuels blind hatred.”
Palomares added that such inflammatory language is designed to appeal to extremist views and perpetuates “the lie that all immigrants are here to harm others.”
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In her video, Gomez cited the arrest of a Guatemalan immigrant accused of a brutal murder on a New York subway as her motivation. She called for the public execution of undocumented immigrants who commit violent crimes, a position many critics have labeled as extreme and unconstitutional.
The video drew swift criticism, particularly in light of past tragedies like the 2019 El Paso Walmart shooting, in which 23 people were killed by a gunman motivated by anti-immigrant rhetoric.
“Texas LULAC deplores the irresponsible actions of this purported candidate,” said Gabriel Rosales, Texas LULAC state director. “Social media must ban this kind of reckless display for attention.”
LULAC leaders across the nation have united in their condemnation of Gomez’s video:
- Lupe Torres, national board member and vice president for women in America and Puerto Rico, emphasized the need for legislation to ensure harsher penalties for violent crimes rather than resorting to “revenge killings.”
- Lawrence “Larry” Romo, LULAC national vice president for veterans, reinforced the importance of due process, stating, “We are a nation of laws, not barbarism. Every individual accused of a crime deserves their day in court.”
- Gloria Leal, LULAC general counsel, called Gomez’s video an incitement to violence and vigilantism, warning of the dangerous precedent such rhetoric sets.
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