Democratic mayoral nominee Eric Adams is accusing his Republican opponent Curtis Sliwa of trying to buy his way into the hearts of Hispanic New Yorkers, despite a history of mocking them and taking anti-immigrant positions.
Adams campaign spokesman Evan Thies told The Post the conservative talk show host and Guardians Angels founder’s new 30-second, Spanish language ad — which began airing locally last week at a cost of $250,000 — is “disingenuous” because it paints Sliwa as a longtime friend of Hispanics.
“He’s pitching himself as a unifier after decades of dividing people by race and gender as a shock-jock,” Thies said. “No one buys it.”
Earlier this year, Sliwa apologized on the campaign trail for a series of gaffes he’s made over the years that offended people of color and women — including a Mexican impression he did on TV that Thies said New Yorkers shouldn’t forget.
During a 2011 panel appearance on NY1, Sliwa sported a sombrero, waved two Mexican flags and shouted “Andale! Andale!” when asked about then-Gov. Cuomo’s decision to pull the state out of a program that helped identify undocumented immigrants.
“I can be a Narco terrorist!.. Bag me! Tag me! Put me in jail! You got me. Give me to ICE,” bellowed Sliwa, using a fake Mexican accent. “But, oh no, Señor Cuomo! We love you because you love the banditos. Don’t you, you gringo?!”
Four years later, Sliwa again pretended to be Latino during a NY1 panel discussion while mocking then-Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, who wasn’t present, saying into the camera, “Melissa, I’m your Papi, right?”
He was briefly suspended from the regular NY1 segment after putting his foot in mouth further the following day by claiming on his WABC-AM talk show there’s sexual tension between him and the Puerto Rican-born pol and openly wishing she’d dress sexier.
Thies also claimed Sliwa has offended the Latino community by repeatedly rallying behind politicians who oppose the concept of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented immigrants.
Sliwa said his NY1 remarks were done as “satire” but regrets making them.
He said he plans to “double” campaign spending on the ad so it airs longer and insisted he’s been a “better friend” to Hispanics than Adams, citing safety assistance he’s provided to Latino bodega owners and taxi drivers through the Guardian Angels.
He also said Adams, the Brooklyn borough president, is “no paragon of virtue” when it comes to offending Hispanics, considering he took heat in 1993 for suggesting Bronx Democrat Herman Badillo, the first Puerto Rican elected to Congress, betrayed fellow Hispanics by marrying a white, Jewish woman instead of a Latina. Adams did ultimately apologize directly to Badillo about his remarks.