𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗢𝗬 𝗗𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗦 𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗢𝗦 𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗦 𝗠𝗥. 𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗚𝗢 𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗢𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜-𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧𝗤 𝗘𝗗𝗨𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗢 𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗨𝗜 𝗠𝗥 𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗚𝗢 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰"!!

 

Eduardo Verastegui, Mr. Amigo 2024

From the editor: Posted below are the deeply lamentful words of City Commissioner Roy De los Santos with respect to the Mr. Amigo Association's selection of a vocally anti-LGBTQ, Trump-loving entertainer as Mr. Amigo 2024:

**MR AMIGO**

Several have reached out for my thoughts on the selection of this years Mr. Amigo. I think given that the Mr. Amigo Association just had events in August and is now working to get back to a schedule where they hold events in February, there has likely been a rapid succession of events and it's most likely that in selecting Mr. Amigo for next year, they did not vet as thoroughly as they normally do.

Regarding Mr. Verástegui, all indications are that he has some views which I find reprehensible, extremist and hateful, which will lead to some division in the community.

The public should know that the City of Brownsville has no input into the selection of Mr. Amigo. The same is true of Charro Days, and of Sombrero Festival. None of these organizations are involved in the selection of Mr. Amigo, that's a decision made exclusively by the Mr. Amigo Association.

With regard to the Mr. Amigo Association, the most important thing to consider is intent. I know so many members of that association and I do not for one second believe there is any malicious intent. I do not consider this a reflection on the views or values of the members of the association or on the association itself.

And ultimately the spirit of what Mr. Amigo represents, transcends the individual who is selected for the honor. The Charro Days spirit is about a sense of community, and friendship, and the goodwill between our two nations. The rich culture you find along the border, on both sides of the Rio Grande, is the best representation of that. No one and nothing, including an individual with extremist views, will detract from that.

Viva Mr. Amigo!

Viva Brownsville!

Viva Matamoros!

Viva Charro Days!!

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