The First lady of the United States, Jill Biden is apologizing after saying Latinos are as “unique” as “breakfast tacos” at an event in San Antonio, Texas. her spokesperson Michael LaRosa said.
Jill Biden apologizes after comparing Latinos to tacos during San Antonio speech
“The First Lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community,” LaRosa wrote on Twitter Tuesday.
During the annual Unidos US conference on Monday, Biden was praising the work of Raul Yzaguirre, who led the civil rights and advocacy organization for 30 years, and the diversity of Latinos across the U.S. when she made the remarks. “Raul helped build this organization with the understanding that the diversity of this community, as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio, is your strength,” Biden said.
Her comments drew criticism, with many taking issues with her mispronunciation of bodegas and comparing Latinos to tacos. The National Association of Hispanic Journalists called out Biden for her remarks in a statement, saying it “demonstrates a lack of cultural knowledge and sensitivity to the diversity of Latinos in the region.” Florida Senator Marco Rubio, whose parents came to the U.S. from Cuba, also poked fun at Biden’s remarks by uploading a photo of a taco on Twitter.
