Ricky Ben-David is a Times of Israel editor and reporter
Trump piñatas at Raquels Partyland in Austin, Texas, November 8, 2016. (Ricky Ben-David/Times of Israel)
AUSTIN, Texas — Amelia De La Cruz, 26, can barely fit through the door of Raquel’s Partyland pinata store, with six “Trumpiñatas” hanging off her shoulders.
The piñata depicting GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump have been a “major seller” at this party store on Cesar Chavez street in Austin’s historically Mexican-American neighborhood, with De La Cruz saying they’ve sold more than 500 over the past several months.
The large ones go for $45 with the smaller versions costing $35.
“We sold one of [Democratic nominee] Hillary [Clinton] but it was specially ordered,” she said, making sure to add that the Clinton piñata was not meant to be smashed but was to serve as decoration at a voting party for the nominee.
Clinton-voter Amelia De La Cruz at Raquel’s Partyland store in Austin, Texas carries Trump piñatas which she says have been major sellers, November 8, 2016. (Ricky Ben-David/Times of Israel)
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De La Cruz said she voted for the first time in her life on Tuesday for Clinton, amid fears of Trump’s rhetoric against Mexican-Americans and other immigrants to the United States.
“My whole family — those who could vote — went to vote for Hillary because of this issue,” she says.
Originally from Sinaloa province in Mexico, De La Cruz came to Austin at the age of 4 and says she’s afraid that if Trump wins, “me and my family will all be deported.”
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The fear, she said, is so real that even her eight-year-old daughter was in tears one day when asked her who she would vote for if she could.
“She just burst out crying,” De La Cruz says, visibly upset by the memory, “she just said that Trump is a bad man and that if he’s president we would all go to Mexico.”
“He means what he says too, I believe him,” said De La Cruz.
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