Maria Fernanda Reyes: I Fully Disclosed My Affiliation To The WH

MRC Latino | June 11, 2021
Font Size

 

MARIA FERNANDA REYES:  When we walked in, I introduced myself and in fact, I showed my badge that said “Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative”. And we went in right behind the reporters, Kamala’s staff seated me right next to Univision’s people, and they came up to me and told me that they wanted me to ask a question. At that time, I made clear that in fact I am from the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative as well as the Women Economic Forum. That our chairperson had just met directly with Kamala.

REYES: in fact, I didn’t even say Univision. Her (Harris’) team were the ones that said ``Univision” at the end of the press conference…

MARIA ANTONIETA COLLINS: But who mentions Univision when you sign up? How do you sign up? How do they- the White House- how do they come to the conclusion that you are a Univision journalist?

REYES: No. As Stanford...as Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship initiative and as Women Economic Forum, who had just signed up, and then they asked me to sit there, I was next to Univision’s reporters, they were also asked if they wanted to ask a question. 

COLLINS: Well of course, that’s their job. That’s their job, María Fernanda.

REYES: Of course.

REYES: And it was made clear before the question. In other words, when they approached me, I believe Univision cameras show when they came to ask me whether I wanted to ask a question- I was wearing the Stanford Latino badge and I showed it to them. And I said, “I’m Stanford Latino”.

COLLINS: You are aware, María Fernanda…

REYES: And then, they incorrectly introduced me (as being) from Univision…

COLLINS: That much is clear, you’ve already told us so. Are you aware…

REYES: What I couldn’t clarify at the end is that both the Univision reporter and I went and talked to the same communications person and we told them, as a matter of clarification, that Maria Fernanda Reyes is Stanford Latino and in fact she took notes and said, “don’t worry, this will be corrected in the White House transcript, it was our mistake”.

COLLINS: What were you doing then, if you could tell us again, at the site of the press conference?

REYES: Yes- because, precisely, part of the meetings were (held) there. And so I was waiting for your team, which was editing the interview in my room, to come up because there were issues with the elevators, et cetera.

donate