Lack of Latinos in Trump Cabinet draws ire for ‘setback’

ALBUQUERQUE — President-elect Donald Trump’s decision not to appoint any Latinos to his Cabinet is drawing fierce criticism from Hispanics, who call it a major setback for the nation’s largest minority group.

Trump announced former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue on Thursday as his choice to lead the Agriculture Department, ending hopes that the last open spot would go to a Latino nominee.

The nonpartisan National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials had started a public campaign to persuade Trump to nominate former California Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado, a Republican, to the post.

“Instead of assembling a talented and diverse Cabinet that would help advance the interests of all Americans, Trump has broken with the bipartisan precedent of past presidential administrations and has missed a major opportunity to shed the racial and ethnic divisiveness that were hallmarks of his presidential campaign,” LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes said.