“America first”: Aboriginal people increasingly seduced by Trump

Exasperated by the rise in petrol prices, Nita Mexican voted for Donald Trump last November. Meanwhile, A choice that this native Navajo claims. In addition, which is becoming more and more commonplace among the American natives, long acquired on the left.

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“Many young people are for him now, including the friends of our grandchildren,” says the retiree to AFP.

At 77. Furthermore, this republican of always used to being in the minority in Tuba City, a small isolated town in the American West, on the desert sets of the Navajo nation.

But “america first”: aboriginal people increasingly in recent years, she has seen the attitudes change. Meanwhile, Like her. In addition, some neighbors began to reject fault on Latin American immigration for unemployment and drug trafficking that undermines this poor corner.

“Trump cleans America. Similarly, it’s a good thing,” applauds this ex-employee of a power plant, delighted with the president’s massive eviction policy.

“America must pass first,” she insists. “We are natives, we are American and we should have jobs first.”

In this remote region, where the car is essential, inflation of recent years still makes teeth cringe.

With her husband Joe. M^me Mexican spends 40 dollars of petrol per day to water morning and evening their sheep, parked in an enclosure about forty kilometers. The couple also financially helps some unemployed grandchildren.

“Sometimes we no longer have enough to do the shopping for both of us”. plague m^me Mexican, who would like the president to “slow “america first”: aboriginal people increasingly down” on customs duties aimed at many imported products.

“We argue”

Statressing Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, the Navajo nation is the largest Aboriginal reserve in the United States.

In this democratic bastion since the 1980s, Trump produced surprising breakthroughs in the last presidential election.

The republican billionaire lost 18.9 points behind in the county of Apache, against 33.6 in 2020. And he won 17.1 points ahead in the county of Navajo, thus doubling his margin compared to the previous election.

From North Carolina to Montana. this dynamic was confirmed throughout the country: the Aboriginal electorate has generally voted for the left and its candidate Kamala Harris, but with much less enthusiasm than in the past.

As with Latin American, the Trump bulletin was more chosen by men than women, according to polls.

In his house without electricity, Gilberta Cortes knows something about it: her 21 -year -old son voted “america first”: aboriginal people increasingly for the Republican.

“We are arguing all the time on this subject,” she says. “He talks about inflation. He says that cartels ruin everything for natives. ”

At 42, this housewife feels despised by the president.

She executes her mockery to the indigenous origins of Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, which he regularly nicknamed “Pocahontas”.

“Lots of racism”

The laws promulgated by the Republican during his first mandate to combat the disappearance of thousands. of indigenous women each year left it.

“It was just clientelism to get our voices,” sweeps this left -wing voter.

And the president’s anti-immigration offensive worries him. Several Navajos have been arrested in recent months by the immigration police because of their skin color. according to some reserve officials.

“We see a lot of racism. I think it’s more blatant now, ”she sighs. “When I go out, I feel like I’m walking on eggs.”

Trump’s climatoscepticism also “america first”: aboriginal people increasingly concerns the one who prohibits his children from playing outside summer because of heat waves. more and more intense in the American West.

“If it drills oil at all costs. cuts into environmental agencies, it will get rid of things in the long term,” she fears.

In his caravan, Elbert Yazzie believes that some of his friends will soon regret their choice. Because the “great and beautiful law” that the president has just adopted provides for a severe reduction in social assistance.

“They voted for him because they thought there would be more jobs for us the Americans. But instead, he cuts food aid, ”sums up this unemployed fifties. “It will affect a lot of people here.”