"Loyalty to Mexico is demonstrated through actions, not passports": Larry Rubin; reiterates his defense of community interests

After the Senate of the Republic approved the reform against dual-nationality candidates, the president of the American Society of Mexico (AmSoc), Larry Rubin, stated that "loyalty to Mexico is demonstrated through actions, not passports." Through social media, he questioned: "Where is the evidence that a Mexican with dual nationality is less loyal, less capable, or poses a greater risk to Mexico?" "If that evidence does not exist, we are creating a restriction of rights based solely on a personal condition: holding another nationality," he added. AmSoc reiterated that it will defend the interests of its community "regardless of political affiliations." He said that among its members and associates are people with dual or triple nationality who are part of organizations that daily contribute to boosting the economy and maintain social and cultural relations between Mexico and the United States. He indicated that he will maintain an open dialogue, public or private, with authorities, institutions, leaders, and political forces of any current when it is pertinent to advancing his objectives. "This dialogue does not imply affinity, partisan backing, or adherence to any political agenda. It is part of the responsible exercise of representing a plural and binational community." "AmSoc is and will remain nonpartisan both in Mexico and in the United States. It will recognize decisions that strengthen rights and will clearly express its differences with those it considers to limit them, regardless of who promotes them," he noted. At a press conference last Monday, Rubin said that the efforts of the Presidency and the Legislative Branch should focus on those who betray their homeland through corruption, extortion, and support for organized crime. "What we are asking of the senators is that they truly do their job and say no to this reform, which does harm millions. That they think first of Mexico and of Mexicans. That they say no to a reform that Mexico may later regret having," he declared. At a press conference, Larry Rubin maintained that this reform was "a very serious error" and rejected, in response to this media outlet, any interference by the American Society ahead of next year's elections in the country. "Efforts should instead be focused not on targeting people who have not betrayed their homeland, who are these millions of citizens, but rather on seeing how to stop those who do betray their homeland daily through corruption, extortion, and supporting organized crime. That, in our opinion, should be the true focus that both the Presidency and the Legislative Branch should aim at, to seek how to stop that cancer that has so damaged the nation," he said. He explained that President Claudia Sheinbaum's initiative was "a very serious error" because it does not allow "upstanding citizens" to access positions that could serve Mexico. He maintained that this proposal would bring discrimination by calling "traitors" those who have dual nationality, and would create a state with two types of citizens: "first-class and second-class." He lamented that neither in the Chamber of Deputies nor in the Senate of the Republic was there an open parliament or forums to discuss the initiative. He added that senators were subjected to voting "strictly along party lines." Furthermore, he rejected the notion that people with dual nationality are disloyal to the country. He gave as an example that Pope Leo XIV holds the nationality of the Vatican, the United States, and Peru, while the late Pope Francis held Argentine and Vatican nationality: "Has anyone in the entire world ever questioned their loyalty to the church or to the Vatican? Never! So this discussion about them being disloyal for having dual nationality makes no sense in the world at all — if not, ask the Pope." In rejecting any interference by AmSoc, Rubin indicated that it is a Mexican civil association and that, as a Mexican-American, he had the right to express his opinion: "What is sought is that the voice of the 15 million Mexican citizens with dual nationality be heard, that they be allowed to demonstrate why this proposed law makes no sense and harms migrants, our fellow countrymen." He asserted that the initiative had millions of Mexicans with dual nationality worried because "they are seeing how their rights are being curtailed" by a proposed law. He told EL UNIVERSAL that he had had contact with figures, including from Morena, with dual nationality who would have to renounce it in order to run for a governorship, the head of government post, or the presidency. "They understand that this law would curtail that opportunity for them. At first they did not understand it because they would say, 'I just renounce it and that's it.' It is not just a matter of renouncing it — the country of which you hold the other nationality has to accept the renunciation, and in many cases that is not acceptable," he said. You may be interested in: Morena and allies approve reform against dual nationality in the Senate; send bill to state congresses. American Society laments approval of reform against dual nationality; "it restricts political rights," it states. "My roots and my responsibility are in Nayarit"; Jasmine Bugarín responds to criticism for being born in the US and seeking the governorship. Join our channel! EL UNIVERSAL is now on WhatsApp! From your mobile device, find out the most relevant news of the day, opinion articles, entertainment, trends, and more. dft