A white supremacist of color seems like a contradiction. Yet recent years have brought to light unsettling examples, including an Afro-Latino leader of the Proud Boys and a Latino mass shooter with neo-Nazi sympathies. These men are among a small but growing number of Latinos in the United States who gravitate toward the far right and adopt radical views on race, Christian nationalism, and immigration. 

In an eye-opening new book, Defectors, Emmy Award–winning journalist Paola Ramos uses interviews, historical context, and expert analysis to shatter the longtime understanding of Latinos as a political monolith and uncover a diversity of opinion that makes room for white nationalists and avowed racists.

Listen to a recording of our expert panel’s virtual discussion of this alarming trend.

Speakers:

• Paola Ramos, Author, Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America; MSNBC Contributor

• Michael German, Former Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Fellow, Brennan Center Liberty & National Security Program

• Eduardo Gamarra, Professor of Politics and International Relations, Florida International University

• Moderator: Mireya Navarro, Editor in Chief, Brennan en español

If you enjoy this program, please give us a boost by liking, subscribing, and sharing with your friends. If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, please give it a 5-star rating. 

Recorded on October 10, 2024.

Check out Paola Ramos’s new book here: Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America (bookshop.org)

You can subscribe to Brennan en español’s Spanish-language newsletter here: https://go.brennancenter.org/suscribirse 

Keep up with the Brennan Center’s work by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, The Briefing: https://go.brennancenter.org/briefing

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brennancenter.substack.com