Joe Biden's Mexican Restaurant Visit Sparks Negative Reviews

A Mexican restaurant that President Biden visited in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday for a campaign event has been targeted with a string of negative Yelp reviews, with two accusing the establishment of hosting "genocide Joe" in an apparent reference to the war in Gaza.

Biden used the event at El Portal to launch the Latinos con Biden-Harris, or Latinos with Biden-Harris, which his reelection campaign said aims to "engage and mobilize Latino voters, communities, and leaders across the country."

Biden is his party's presumptive presidential candidate after securing a string of Democratic primary victories on March 12, likely setting up a November clash against former President Donald Trump, who holds the same position for the Republicans.

On Tuesday, Biden and Trump both notched up additional primary wins in Arizona, Illinois, Kansas, Ohio and Florida, where Democrats opted to cancel the contest and award all the delegates to the incumbent.

However, Biden's visit to El Portal sparked a backlash against the restaurant on review site Yelp, which received a succession of one-star reviews. Several Yelp users highlighted the president's support for Israel in its ongoing military campaign against the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7 killing 1,200 people and taking hundreds more hostage. In response, the Israeli military launched a major air and ground campaign in Gaza that has killed over 31,000 people, according to the Associated Press, citing the Gaza Health Ministry.

On El Portal's Yelp page, Laith, a user from Scottsdale, Arizona, gave a one-star rating, writing: "This place hosts genocide Joe Biden. The community was going to protest against him in our city her this restaurant found it appropriate to host him."

A second user, Nadeen from Pennsylvania, also awarded the restaurant one star, writing: "The owners of this restaurant are genocide supporters. Last night they had no problem opening up their restaurant to Genocide Joe who is complicit in the murder of over 14,000 Palestinian children and counting.

"Although I have never tried their food before, I will never support a business that is complicit or silent on genocide and so they will be boycotted."

Jennifer from Phoenix posted, "I don't support restaurants that host someone that oppresses my people. Biden si puede ir a la verga [Biden can go to hell]."

Another user from Scotts Valley, California, appeared to mock Biden in a review on Thursday, writing: "I ate here tonight. This old man sniffed my hair. I complained to the owner. She said he had the right to do so."

Ahead of the 2020 presidential election, a number of videos emerged showing Biden closely embracing other people, sometimes with his nose against their hair, resulting in him being labeled "Creepy Joe" by some critics.

Newsweek reached out to El Portal for comment by telephone and online contact form, along with the White House press office and a representative of Biden's 2024 re-election campaign.

During Biden's roughly 12-minute speech at El Portal, he emphasized the importance of Latino voters, a traditionally Democratic-leaning group that some recent polling has found are shifting away from the party.

Referring to Latinos, Biden commented: "Anybody that doesn't pay attention to them is really stupid."

In a written statement marking the launch of Latinos con Biden-Harris, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden's campaign manager, said: "The Latino vote was critical to the President's victory in 2020, and 2024 will be no different.

"Latinos con Biden-Harris will be essential to activating and mobilizing Latinos across the country, and importantly, is another way we are making clear with action that we are investing aggressively into earning the Latino vote. Our community has deep roots in organizing, and we are excited to harness that skillset to fight for our families, our communities, and against Donald Trump's anti-Latino agenda."