Univision “Agenda Latina” requires an injection of racialist narrative, whenever possible, into the stories that the network chooses to cover. But most of those superimpositions are awkward and needless, as exemplified by recent coverage of the World Series.
Watch below as Karla Martínez, co-host of Univision’s morning kaffeklatch Despierta América, senselessly injects racial overtones into the Washington Nationals’ Game 2 drubbing of the Houston Astros:
KARLA MARTÍNEZ, CO-HOST, DESPIERTA AMÉRICA: The Nationals shock Houston and go home with a pair of victories in the continuation of the World Series. Find out why even the Astros' Latino power has been no match for the inspired capital squad.
Martínez’ evocation of “Latino power” makes no sense whatsoever beyond that of pandering to Univision’s audience in Houston (and throughout the Southwest) by presenting the Astros as the de facto “Latino team”. But in so doing, Martínez erases the Hispanics on the Nationals’ roster. For example, there were no mentions of the Nationals’ “Latino power” getting to the Astros’ vaunted pitching staff. Is Juan Soto (for example) chopped liver?
Univision would be well served to note that both the inspired play of the Nationals and the Astros’ stumbles have nothing to do with diversity in the postseason roster, and everything to do with execution on the field, and to remember that not everything has to be about race.
