Elderly couple votes for the first time in U.S., accompanied by mariachi band

Record ID: 79895

  • Title: Elderly couple votes for the first time in U.S., accompanied by mariachi band
  • Date: 8th November 2016
  • Summary: MARTA ALVARADO'S CERTIFICATE OF NATURALIZATION (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MARTA ALVARADO, WHO VOTED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE U.S., SAYING: "Because we want a change for this marvelous country and we don't want it to stay in the conditions it is now - discrimination, we don't want that." FABIO ALVARADO LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FABIO ALVARADO, WHO VOTED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE U.S., SAYING: "We hope that the new president [referring to Hillary Clinton because he says "presidenta" instead of "presidente"] changes migration, changes the help for immigrants, they need work."
  • Embargoed: 23rd November 2016 23:15
  • Keywords: election president vote naturalized citizens El Salvador first time mariachi
  • Location: NORWALK, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • City: NORWALK, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA00357L71HJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Fabio Alvarado, 91, was born in El Salvador in 1925. On Tuesday (November 8), he was sworn in as a United States citizen and cast a vote for U.S. president for the first time, along with his 80 year-old wife Marta, who became a citizen in September.
    The couple became Legal Permanent Residents in 1988, but this was the first time they were eligible to vote as new citizens.
    "We want a change for this marvelous country and we don't want it to stay in the conditions it is now - discrimination, we don't want that," said Marta Alvarado.
    Fabio Alvarado said he hoped the new president would make changes to immigration policies, using the female form of "president" in Spanish, to refer to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
    "We hope that the new president changes migration, changes the help for immigrants, they need work," he said.
    Although Fabio Alvarado did not become a U.S. citizen before the October 24 deadline to register to vote, California law allows people naturalized after the deadline to vote at a County Registrar office.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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