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Ricardo Menéndez March
Green Party

Ricardo Menéndez March

Social Development Spokesperson

Electorate: List MP

Before Politics

  • Anti-poverty campaigner
  • Born in Tijuana, Mexico — first Latin American MP in NZ history
  • Community organiser focused on migrant workers and welfare

Parliamentary Career

  • List MP since 2020
  • Led campaigns to end benefit sanctions and lift incomes
  • Social development and employment spokesperson

Key Positions

  • Welfare system reform — end benefit sanctions
  • Migrant worker protections
  • Income adequacy and poverty elimination
  • Guaranteed minimum income

Accomplishments

  • First Latin American MP in NZ history
  • Successfully campaigned for benefit sanctions reform
  • Strong advocate for migrant workers' rights

Controversies

  • !Shane Jones made remarks about 'sending Mexicans home' targeting him — widely condemned as racist
  • !His tweet 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' was cited by ACT to oppose a Green Palestine motion

Bio Summary

Social Development spokesperson; migrant rights advocate and anti-poverty campaigner originally from Mexico.

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