Adams meets with 3 Latin world leaders
Eric Adams, the Democratic candidate and overwhelming favorite in the ciity’s mayoral race, had an impromptu meeting with the leaders of three Latin American countries in Manhattan on Wednesday morning, his campaign said.
Adams spoke briefly with Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republican, Carlos Alvarado Quesada of Costa Rica and Laurentino Cortizo of Panama in Midtown during the second day of the UN General Assembly, according to the campaign.
Adams met the presidents around 11:30 a.m. at an office for the Dominican Consulate, and the group’s conversation did not revolve around policy or immigration, said Jose Bayona, a campaign spokesman.
The four politicians were photographed together, clad in masks.
“They just said hi,” Bayona said. “Eric wants to support the communities that are here and that have made their lives here.”
City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan) joined Adams during the meet-up.
Rodriguez, who was born in the Dominican Republic and represents immigrant-rich Washington Heights, is one of Adams’ most outspoken allies.
As of 2017, New York City was home to about 450,000 immigrants from the Dominican Republic, a number roughly equal to the population of Miami, according to the city comptroller’s office.
About 20,000 immigrants from Panama and about 6,000 from Costa Rica lived in New York City, according to the tally.
Adams, who’s currently the Brooklyn borough president, faces the Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in the city’s November election. Adams is widely expected to win; registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in the city by more than six to one.
The former NYPD captain rode to victory in the city’s Democratic primary on the strength of his popularity among the city’s working-class voters and people of color.
Bayona said he did not expect Adams to meet with any more dignitaries during the UN gathering, which runs through next Monday.