Candidate Fights to Run Despite Limited English
BALDWIN: The controversy in Arizona is pitting an American ideal against political practicality. A mother of two was born in the USA, wants to run for office. But her bid is being blocked because she doesn't speak much English. This whole conflict is happening in this border town of San Luis, population 25,000, where 98 percent of the people are Latino. Here is CNN's Thelma Gutierrez with her story.</s>THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the small border town of San Luis, Arizona, Alejandrina Cabrera is somewhat of a political celebrity, without having to spend a day in office.</s>ALEJANDRINA CABRERA, CITY COUNCIL HOPEFUL: They're my friend.</s>GUTIERREZ: The married woman of two made national headlines after her bid for a seat on the San Luis City Council was blocked by the city's mayor.</s>CABRERA: He say I can't speak English, read and write.</s>GUTIERREZ: At issue, Cabrera's fluency in English. She's a United States citizen. She was born in Arizona. But like many people in this small agricultural town who live and work on both sides of the U.S./Mexican border, Cabrera was raised in Mexico where life is more affordable. When she was 17, she came back to the U.S. to finish high school. But by then, Spanish was her primary language. Cabrera says no one in San Luis, where most people speak Spanish had ever questioned her English skills until she decided to run for public office.</s>MAYOR JUAN CARLOS ESCAMILLA, SAN LUIS, ARIZONA: She does not understand English.</s>GUTIERREZ: Juan Carlos Escamilla, the mayor of San Luis, says under Arizona law, elected officials must be proficient in English. He says Cabrera doesn't qualify to run for office. And as a citizen, he filed a lawsuit against her. And she was forced to take an English proficiency test paid for by local taxpayers to stop her candidacy. Cabrera says this is political payback because she spearheaded two recall campaigns against the mayor. (on camera): Not a personal vendetta against her?</s>ESCAMILLA: Not personal. Not a personal vendetta to get her, absolutely not.</s>GUTIERREZ (voice-over): After a lengthy court hearing, Cabrera was disqualified from the race. Her attorney, John Minore, says her civil rights have been violated. (on camera): She did not pass her proficiency test.</s>JOHN MINORE, CABRERA'S ATTORNEY: What test is there to pass though? There's no test in the statute. And they're denying her the political process, and let the people of this community decide they want her on the city council or not.</s>GUTIERREZ: What do you tell those people who say, but you're a citizen, you live here now and you're running for office, you need to speak English?</s>CABRERA: I will speak English. A little, maybe, but it's enough for the city council.</s>GUTIERREZ: Cabrera says she's taking her appeal all the way to the Arizona Supreme Court. Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, San Luis, Arizona.</s>BALDWIN: Thelma, thank you. Coming up next, monks setting themselves on fire in protest. This is something the Chinese government wants to keep secret.</s>STAN GRANT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Our producer is now outside talking to police.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And they want your passport.</s>GRANT: And they're now going to look at our passports.</s>BALDWIN: Twenty four hours after we took you inside this crackdown, the regime has made a huge move against CNN. What they don't want you to see, next.