Jacksonville official’s social media post sparks debate after racially charged comments at MSG Trump rally

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A recent post by Jacksonville’s Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, Yanira “Yaya” Cardona, has sparked intense discussion following racially charged comments made at a Madison Square Garden rally for former President Donald Trump.

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The controversy began over the weekend when comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, performing at the rally, made a remark that has fueled outrage among Hispanic communities nationwide:

”There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now,” Hinchcliffe said. “I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”

That statement sparked a lot of chatter online, including from Cardona.

Cardona is tasked with connecting Jacksonville’s Hispanic community to critical resources and information, responded by posting, “I will not support any business who supports and or voted for Trump,” sparking strong reactions from residents and officials.

Some, like local business owner Roberto Garcia, felt Cardona’s post could have been tempered. Garcia, born in Spain and married to a Puerto Rican woman, said he wasn’t offended by Hinchcliffe’s comment but felt that Cardona’s response stirred up unnecessary division.

“I think before she makes any type of post, not to let her emotions get the best of her because she did stir up a really big beehive here in Jacksonville,” Garcia said. “There are a lot of Latinos here in Jacksonville that think differently than her, and just because we do, we shouldn’t get punished for it.”

READ: Americans in Puerto Rico can’t vote for US president. Their anger at Trump is shaping the race

Others, however, see no fault in Cardona’s actions.

Puerto Rican activist Maria Garcia argued that Cardona, as a private citizen, has every right to express her views on her personal page.

“This was her personal Facebook page, so even though she has a role with the city, she is also a private citizen, and we have the First Amendment, so that was free speech, protected speech,” Maria Garcia said.

The incident has also drawn attention from local government officials, including City Council Member Raul Arias, the only member who is a Hispanic immigrant from Panama.

Arias emphasized that, while Cardona’s post was personal, her public role with the city necessitates professionalism. “We have to learn at some point what to say and what not to say,” Arias commented. “It was her own personal opinion – it is her own personal page, but she represents the city, and that’s the problem.”

The City of Jacksonville has since issued a statement to Action News Jax addressing the matter: “We follow our procurement code for companies who seek to do business with the city, and political beliefs are never a consideration. This is a personnel matter that has been handled, and we are not commenting further.”

Cardona has deleted her initial post and replaced it with a new one. Action News Jax reached out to Cardona, but she has not responded and has not heard back at this time.

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