Roundup: Latino vote to play big part in upcoming U.S. elections, Mexican scholars say

The Latino vote will play a big part not only in the U.S. elections in November, but also in many dimensions between Mexico and its northern neighbor, according to Mexican academics.

"The participation of compatriots residing there (in the United States) in the (political) contest is a way of guaranteeing their human and political rights and it is enormously relevant to Mexico, not just for political issues, but also for trade, economic and cultural ones," said Pedro Salazar Ugarte, director of the Institute for Judicial Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, on Monday.

When inaugurating a forum entitled "The Latino Vote in the 2016 U.S. Elections -- Implications for Mexico," Salazar Ugarte said the forum is part of a series of activities undertaken by the university to have a balanced, critical and proactive point of view surrounding this event.

During the inauguration ceremony, Silvia Nunez, director of the university's Center for North American Studies, said the U.S. electoral process has been characterized by an absence of respect, since racism, anxiety and fear promoted by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump have surprised the world as a whole, as well as millions of U.S. citizens.

"In this forum the importance of the Latino vote and the Mexico-U.S. relationship will be analyzed. Over two days, we will talk about politics, civil society, media and other topics of academic interest," said Nunez.

Lorenzo Cordova Vianello, director of the National Electoral Institute, said Hispanic migrants represent the largest minority in Mexico's northern neighbor.

"They should overcome three essential filters to influence the decision on who will be the next U.S. president," he said.

The first thing potential Latin American voters should do in order to vote in the U.S. elections is to find out about the registration process and deadlines in their respective states.

Secondly, it is important to achieve a majority in the states with more electoral votes assigned, something that is only possible if Latino voters join the campaign that is most favorable to migrants' interests.

Thirdly, Latino voters need to put fear and cultural atavism to one side since they come from countries where political participation and going to vote are not encouraged, said Vianello.

David R. Maciel, professor emeritus at the University of California, said this forum focuses on a crucial fact: migrants are one of the main talking points for the U.S. presidential candidates.

The most renowned analysts, including conservatives, believe that neither of the candidates will win the presidency without the Latino vote and this prediction will be analyzed thoroughly in this academic space.

Furthermore, this will serve to reflect on the significance and consequences that this electoral event could have for Mexico, Maciel added. Endi