White House briefing delivered partially en español

Wednesday’s White House briefing featured a Spanish-language segment to commemorate the start of Hispanic Heritage Month.

White House director of coalitions media Luisana Pérez Fernández delivered the remarks, outlining President Biden’s schedule to commemorate the month-long celebration.

Biden and first lady Jill Biden will host a White House reception for Hispanic leaders later Wednesday, and Biden will address the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) gala, the premier Washington event celebrating Hispanic heritage.

Biden has addressed the gala every year of his presidency, though the 2021 gala was held online because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Vice President Harris on Wednesday addressed the CHCI Leadership Conference, which precedes the gala.

Pérez Fernández, who was introduced by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at the top of the briefing, touted the administration’s Latino small business record and health care efforts, two top issues for Latino voters.

Pérez Fernández also discussed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and family-based immigration programs.

“President Biden has also vigorously defended DACA and has taken steps to keep together married couples in which one spouse is an American citizen and the other has been in the United States for more than 10 years,” Pérez Fernández said in Spanish.

It’s the second time Pérez Fernández, a Venezuelan immigrant who arrived in the United States in 2011, has shown off her Spanish-language skills at the White House podium.

In 2022, she also delivered remarks to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month.

Jean-Pierre took the podium after her and said that she wanted to “echo” her colleague, noting the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

She touted that the Biden administration policies have lowered Latino unemployment, lowered drug prices for 5 million Latinos with Medicare, expanded health care coverage for Latinos including to DACA recipients and created a federal government that reflects diversity of the U.S.

“We reaffirm our commitment to supporting Latino families and communities and let’s remember, Hispanic Heritage Month is American heritage,” she added.

National security communications adviser John Kirby took the podium after Jean-Pierre and quipped that he had to make sure he didn’t “butcher my own English here.” 

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.