A disinformation campaign of conspiracy theories was motivating Florida’s Spanish-speaking voters as polling stations opened on Tuesday, driving support for US President Donald Trump.
The National spoke with voters in Hialeah, a Cuban-American neighbourhood of western Miami, who described Mr Trump as a crusader against evil, corruption and "deep state" forces, all of which are tropes from the QAnon conspiracy theory.
A barrage of conspiracy theories has been aimed at Hispanic voters in Florida, a key swing state that could determine whether Mr Trump beats his Democratic challenger Joe Biden and keeps the White House.
“Trump is like a messenger from God,” said Roberto Giraldo, 63, a Cuban American who has lived in the US for three decades.
“Trump wants to save America from the New Global Order, which is linked to the communists with China, with Russia, and they want to kill the system we have here in the United States.
“Trump is against that because God wants to keep America free.”
The New World Order is a decades-old conspiracy theory about a clandestine global government.
It has evolved in the US and elsewhere into QAnon theories about Mr Trump battling deep-state elites running a paedophile ring.
Before Tuesday’s presidential election, media monitors described a deluge of bizarre theories being peddled in Spanish to Latinos on social media, the messaging platform WhatsApp, radio and YouTube.
Bogus claims have clogged WhatsApp chats and Facebook feeds of Florida’s Latinos, who make up 17 per cent of the sunshine state’s electorate, hurting Mr Biden’s appeal among Hispanics.
They range from unproven claims of voter fraud to comparisons between the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement and Nazism.
Eduardo Gamarra, a professor of political science at Florida International University, told The National that QAnon-style theories were being "mainstreamed" among Latinos in southern Florida.
“These YouTube channels are run out of Venezuela or Colombia and look professionally produced, like regular news shows with respectable presenters who look like they’re saying something important,” Mr Gamarra said.
“But they’re talking about Joe Biden’s sexual preferences ... or how Black Lives Matter is really dominated by black magic and funded by George Soros.
“And it’s all under the umbrella of anti-communist sentiment.”
Mr Biden has a wide lead over Mr Trump in national opinion polls, but the two men are neck and neck in Florida, where the Democrat has struggled to appeal to a Latino community that might be able to push him over the edge.
The latest average of opinion polls by Real Clear Politics suggested that Mr Biden leads in Florida with 47.9 per cent compared with Mr Trump’s 47 per cent, although that 0.9 percentage point lead is well within the margin of error.
Worth 29 electoral college votes, Florida is the most valuable battleground state.
Thanks to its razor-thin vote margins and fast-changing demographics, it is notoriously difficult to predict in elections.
Cuban Americans are the largest Latino group and make up 29 per cent of the state’s 2.5 million registered Hispanic voters.
They overwhelmingly vote Republican, which is often attributed to their support for tough US policies against Havana’s leftist elite.
The second-biggest group, the Democrat-leaning Puerto Ricans, make up 27 per cent of Florida’s Latino voters, followed by people from Mexico, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Peru and elsewhere, the Pew Research Centre says.
Four years ago, Mr Trump beat Hillary Clinton by 113,000 votes in Florida.
Even small shifts among Hispanic voters could swing a state he needs to win to keep the Oval Office for another four years.
Other voters expressed concerns about how mainstream media outlets did not report about Mr Biden’s alleged corruption over his son’s dealings in Ukraine, another popular trope among US conspiracy theorists.
"I had no idea the media was so bad at covering up for a lot of bad politicians," Rick Meyer told The National at a polling station in Hialeah, before casting his vote for Mr Trump.
“I’ve been doing some research on Biden in this Ukraine thing. I’m not saying Trump’s an angel but if you do a little bit of research on this Biden guy, nobody in their right mind could vote for him.”
Mr Trump has claimed Mr Biden and his son, Hunter, made millions of dollars from China, Russia and through the Ukrainian gas company Burisma.
The allegations have not been proven but they resonate with many of the president’s supporters.
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
Jebel Ali results
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 64,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: One Vision, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gabr, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
4pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 96,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
4.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Torno Subito, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Untold Secret, Jose Santiago, Salem bin Ghadayer
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Super 30
Produced: Sajid Nadiadwala and Phantom Productions
Directed: Vikas Bahl
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Srivastav, Mrinal Thakur
Rating: 3.5 /5
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 0
Manchester City 2
Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sucker%20Punch%20Productions%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sony%20Computer%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%202%20to%205%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
TALE OF THE TAPE
Manny Pacquiao
Record: 59-6-2 (38 KOs)
Age: 38
Weight: 146lbs
Height: 166cm
Reach: 170cm
Jeff Horn
Record: 16-0-1 (11 KOs)
Age: 29
Weight: 146.2lbs
Height: 175cm
Reach: 173cm
NBA Finals so far
(Toronto lead 3-1 in best-of-seven series_
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience
by David Gilmour
Allen Lane
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