Online campaign to help defend Spanish chef who defied Donald Trump
Thursday, August 20, 2015 @ 1:15 PM
A CAMPAIGN to help Spanish chef José Andrés fight the €9 million compensation demanded by US Republican candidate Donald Trump has been launched.
Andrés, originally from Asturias but recently converted into a United States national after living and working there for 20 years, broke off a deal to run the élite restaurant in the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC in light of the property tycoon's racist comments against Latin American migrants in the US, in particular Mexicans.
Trump claimed immigrants heading north over the border were 'bringing drugs, crime and rapists' – even though his bespoke clothing line bears labels saying 'made in México'.
He said the government should 'build a huge wall' between México and the USA, and wants to immediately deport all 11 million non-documented migrants in the States – many of whom have lived there for over a decade.
José Andrés, a celebrated chef who owns upmarket restaurant chains in his adopted country, said he was 'proud to be a Spanish immigrant' and pointed out that the 'vast majority' of his staff and customers were of Latin American origin.
As a result of his pulling out of the contract, Donald Trump is suing Andrés for damages to the tune of US$10m (about €9m).
An online campaign set up by a Mexican ambassador titled, 'help chef José Andrés with Trump's claim', has gone live on a corporate donation site, Indiegogo.com.
Diplomat Jorge Guajardo, currently based in China, has so far raised €6,268 in just two weeks.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com