Defectors

The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America

De: Paola Ramos

Narrado por: Victoria Villarreal

AN NPR BEST BOOK OF 2024 • An award-winning journalist's exploration of how race, identity and political trauma have influenced the rise in far-right sentiment among Latinos, and how this group can shape American politics

“A deeply reported, surprisingly personal exploration of a phenomenon that is little understood in our politics: the affiliation of Latino voters with causes and candidates that would seem, at first glance, unwelcoming to them."—Rachel Maddow

Democrats have historically assumed they can rely on the Latino vote, but recent elections have called that loyalty into question. In fact, despite his vociferous anti-immigrant rhetoric and disastrous border policies, Trump won a higher percentage of the Latino vote in 2020 than he did in 2016. Now, journalist Paola Ramos pulls back the curtain on these voters, traveling around the country to uncover what motivates them to vote for and support issues that seem so at odds with their self-interest.

From coast to coast, cities to rural towns, Defectors introduces listeners to underdog GOP candidates, January 6th insurrectionists, Evangelical pastors and culture war crusaders, aiming to identify the influences at the heart of this rightward shift. Through their stories, Ramos shows how tribalism, traditionalism, and political trauma within the Latino community has been weaponized to radicalize and convert voters who, like many of their white counterparts, are fearful of losing their place in American society.

We meet Monica de la Cruz, a Republican congresswoman from the Rio Grande Valley who won on a platform centered on finishing “what Donald Trump started” and pushing the Great Replacement Theory; David Ortiz, a Mexican man who refers to himself as a Spaniard and opposed the removal of a statue of a Spanish conquistador in New Mexico; Luis Cabrera, an evangelical pastor pushing to “Make America Godly Again;” Anthony Aguero, an independent journalist turned border vigilante; and countless other individuals and communities that make up the rising conservative Latino population. Cross-cultural and assiduously reported, Defectors highlights how one of America's most powerful and misunderstood electorates may come to define the future of American politics.

©2024 Paola Ramos (P)2024 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Ramos’s empathy is formidable. As frightened as she is by the defectors’ politics, she is always curious to learn more."—Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times

"Defectors is a deeply reported, surprisingly personal exploration of a phenomenon that is little understood in our politics: The affiliation of Latino voters with causes and candidates that would seem, at first glance, unwelcoming to them. Paola takes us into the lives of Latinos who support presidential candidates with plans for mass deportations or lead efforts to ban books and stop diversity initiatives. She introduces us to Latinos who patrol the border as vigilantes and Latinos who marched on the Capitol on January 6th. From Miami and the Bronx to Arizona, New Mexico and the Rio Grande Valley, Paola shows us why the Latino vote is not just increasingly powerful, but increasingly in flux. It turns out the answers are there if you ask the right questions, and that is exactly what Paola does in this terrific book."—Rachel Maddow, Emmy award-winning host of The Rachel Maddow Show and New York Times bestselling author of Prequel

"Defectors...casts aside the misguided notion that Latinos are a monolith and looks at the small but expanding part of the population moving steadily right. Through reporting trips and conversations with experts and psychologists alike, Ramos interrogates the idea that the Latino electorate is aligned with progressive values, writing about an Afro-Latino former Proud Boy leader, a Latino border vigilante, and Latino insurrectionists who participated in the January 6 US Capitol attack. As she persuasively proves, not all white supremacists are white."—Vogue

The best book I have listened to this year 2024

Does a great job going over history and present and how everything has shaped the Latino community.

The deep insight it provided on the subject

it was insightful this is all I have to say about the book. I wish there was more.

Informative

Great book. I learned a lot from it. As a Latina I thought I knew what this book would address as reasons for “ defection”. Little did I know..

Latinos in Current American Right Wing Politics

An interesting, well-written and well-researched story of events, histories, and self-perceptions that drive many Latinos in the USA to the far right, and sometimes, to white supremacist and anti-LGBTQ views and political action. There are many compelling individual stories of Latinos with diverse backgrounds and histories. American Latinos in politics have often been painted with a monochromatic brush. This book presents a wider spectrum perspective.

Deeply Researched and Nuanced

One of the most revelatory and insightful books about Latinidad in the US. I think Paola Ramos has given us a valuable text which should required reading for Latines in this country.

Must read for any politico

So many people have theories for why Trump gained so many Latine voters. Many are based in racist tropes. This book does an amazing job going into nuance and detail to help understand the shift

Eye opening

Paola Ramos books articulate in her words and stories of these conservative Latinos to demonstrate to her audience the three major issues of the rise in conservatism in these communities. They mix together for the audiences to understand, to gain a full understanding and opens your eyes if you are confused on why this has been happening

I loved this book!

This book answered a lot of questions I had about the shifting political landscape among Latinos in the United States. I really enjoyed the storytelling and historical data which helped provide much needed context. I highly recommend this book.

I recognize people, friends and family, in her book.

As I read this book, I recognized friends, family, and acquaintances within the stories she tells. I already had a sense of why and how so many Latinos have shifted toward the extreme right, but the way Ramos lays it out—so clearly and compellingly—helped me see the patterns more vividly. She captures not just the shift to the extreme right, but the emotional and cultural forces driving it.

I only wish this book had been written 10 years ago. Maybe then, some of those friends, family, and acquaintances could have been saved from falling down this path.

Respect

One of the best reads for me this year. Pao just wow, the interviews conducted were done with such grace and respect. You have a forever follower.