'We encourage you to disregard the unfair criticism you have received from Hispanic Democrat operatives,' letter said
Jorge Bonilla blasts ‘The View,’ actor John Leguizamo for criticizing Univision’s Trump interview
Leguizamo doesn’t have the ‘clout’ to call for boycott, Media Research Center news analyst said.
EXCLUSIVE – Prominent conservative Hispanics have urged Univision to "disregard" liberals who have criticized the Spanish-language network for a recent interview with former President Trump.
Everyone from the ladies on ABC’s "The View" to actor John Leguizamo to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has expressed outrage that Univision aired an interview journalist Enrique Acevedo conducted with Trump from Mar-a-Lago earlier this month. The interview’s defenders believe liberals simply want Univision to remain a progressive echo chamber after it was hit with swift backlash from the left.
The Washington Post published a story headlined, "Latino backlash grows over Donald Trump’s friendly Univision interview," which reported that "major Latino advocacy groups delivered a letter of protest to the network’s executives and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus prepared to request a meeting with the network."
LIBERALS ARE PEEVED AT UNIVISION FOR OFFERING TRUMP A PLATFORM: ‘A MAJOR MELTDOWN’
Former President Trump sat down with journalist Enrique Acevedo for a widely criticized interview on Univision. (Screengrab/Univision)
Leguizamo took to social media and said, "I am asking all my brothers and sisters who are actors, artists, politicians, activists to not go on Univision." ABC’s "The View" dedicated a segment to the ordeal on Monday where co-host Ana Navarro blasted Univision for not having liberal anchor Jorge Ramos conduct the interview.
Univision's executives selected Acevedo, a Mexico City-based anchor for parent company Televisa, instead of someone like Ramos.
Fox News Digital obtained a letter from high-profile defenders of the interview, which was sent to Ramos, along with Univision CEO Wade Davis and other executives.
"As you know, many of us in the past have been critical of some of your network’s coverage for having a liberal pro-Democrat bias. Yet, we were pleased that, as we begin the 2024 presidential election cycle, Univision decided to interview the leading candidate for the Republican nomination," the letter said.
"The interview was both objective and informative and allowed your audience to hear the former president’s point of view on numerous challenges facing the nation. Enrique Acevedo, moreover, did a good job in asking tough questions and follow ups, without taking sides on the issues discussed," the letter continued. "We sincerely hope that, as the campaign unfolds, you continue to provide equal time to Republican candidates and conservative opinion makers to ensure that the Hispanic community hears from all the sides of the political spectrum."
The prominent conservative Hispanics, including Media Research Center news analyst Jorge Bonilla, Faith & Freedom Coalition director Nilsa Álvarez, American Principles Project director Alfonso Aguilar, American ProLifer founder Gualberto García-Jones and The Heritage Foundation senior fellow Mike González, then urged Univision to ignore critics of the interview.
SUPPORT FOR BIDEN CRUMBLING AS UNFAVORABLE POLL NUMBERS CONTINUE TO ROLL IN
Everyone from the ladies on ABC’s "The View" and actor John Leguizamo to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus are peeved at Univision over a recent interview with former President Trump. (Screengrab/Univision)
"We encourage you to disregard the unfair criticism you have received from Hispanic Democrat operatives and left-leaning advocacy organizations, who are questioning the objectivity of the interview. It is pretty evident from their statements to the news media that they are worried about the growing shift of Hispanic voters towards the GOP, as evidenced in numerous polls, and do not want Republican and conservative leaders, including Mr. Trump, to have access to or be treated fairly by Hispanic media," the letter said.
"These leftist groups and individuals do not represent or speak for the majority of Hispanics on this matter or any other," the letter continued. "Americans of Hispanic descent are not monolithic and, contrary to what Left likes to say, they do not have the same views on most key issues."
The letter concluded: "Finally, we would like to express our concern with the letter that, according to media reports, the all-Democrat Congressional Hispanic Caucus will be sending you in the next few days to respond to the Trump interview and to request a meeting to discuss your journalistic standards. The CHC is a Democrat outfit which does not allow Republicans to join. If sent, this letter would constitute a direct attack on a free and independent press and a form of electoral interference. Members of Congress have no right to question or challenge which political candidates you interview or how you interview them."
CNN HEMORRHAGING VIEWERS SINCE IRKING LIBERALS WITH TRUMP TOWN HALL, HITS SEVERAL RECENT LOWS
The situation is reminiscent of a CNN town hall event with Trump that aired earlier this year. Like Univision, CNN was famously anti-Trump for the duration of his presidency and liberal staffers revolted when the network gave him a platform.
Bonilla, who has studied Hispanic media for years, previously told Fox News Digital he felt the interview was "totally normal," and Univision is only taking heat because it’s usually a "reliable left-wing depository of Democrat talking points" and they simply cannot handle giving Trump a platform.
He went on to blast Leguizamo and "The View."
"The left is decrying, and they are mourning, the loss of air supremacy," Bonilla said.
He scolded "The View" co-host Navarro for suggesting Ramos should have done the interview. "If they wanted a Jorge Ramos clown show, they could have asked for it," he said.
Bonilla then went after Leguizamo, saying he doesn’t have the "clout" to organize a successful boycott of Univision.
"Leguizamo doesn't have that kind of clout. I'm sorry. I don't care if he calls for a boycott of Univision. Leguizamo doesn't have that kind of juice," Bonilla said.
TelevisaUnivision CEO Wade Davis sent a memo to staffers on Tuesday defending the network.
"Engaging with the entire Hispanic community in all spheres is the foundation of TelevisaUnivision’s mission. We are here to inform and empower Spanish speaking audiences. We deeply understand our community, and know Hispanics are diverse, dynamic and certainly not uniform in their political views," Davis wrote in the email obtained by Fox News Digital.
"We made a decision to adopt a strategy that is different than what some other major networks are using, which has been labeled as partisan," he continued. "Univision’s news strategy is one that is non-partisan and objective, and we serve our audience by being welcoming of competing issues, ideas, candidates and parties. We are here to serve our audience, not any political party, any one candidate or partisan groups."
Brian Flood is a media editor/reporter for FOX News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
