Another progressive candidate in New York City is drawing intense scrutiny for a trail of radical statements made online. Darializa Avila Chevalier, who is running for a congressional seat in the city and has the endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, is facing questions about a series of tweets from 2018 to 2022 that reveal a far-left worldview.
CNN investigative reporter Andrew Kaczynski unearthed the posts, which show Avila Chevalier advocating for the complete abolition of police, borders, and private property. In one tweet, she wrote: “A world without borders—just like a world without prisons or police—is possible, necessary, and the only moral way forward.”
She also lashed out at a fellow progressive who suggested the slogan should be “defund the police” instead of “abolish the police.” Avila Chevalier clarified her stance: “No. It means ending policing full stop. Period. No more police at all ever.” In another post, she directed a vulgar remark at the NYPD and declared, “All pigs everywhere are haram,” referencing both law enforcement and her Muslim faith.
Her positions extend to property rights. She called for the government to confiscate all property from landlords and nationalize the pharmaceutical industry. On Israel, she took the view that the nation does not exist. Her Twitter profile also identified her as associated with Free Palestine, Black Lives Matter, communism, and claimed that New York is stolen land belonging to the Lenape tribe.
When pressed on these statements, Avila Chevalier dismissed them as old posts and said her opponent is “re-litigating social media posts from half a decade ago.” She added, “I have grown considerably since in the years since these tweets, and I am focused on our community and our community’s future.”
Critics argue that her defense is insufficient, noting she was an adult when she made the comments. “If she’s really undergone a dramatic, complete personality and ideological change, she needs to explain it in more detail,” one observer said.
Mamdani, who recently made headlines for suspending bedtimes for kids to watch the Knicks finals run, has stood by his endorsement. But the revelations have fueled broader concerns about the credibility of progressive candidates who have espoused extreme views. As one political commentator put it, “If progressive Democrats want to be trusted with governance, they shouldn’t have admitted over and over again in publicly available statements that they’re actually communists.”
The controversy comes amid a wider debate about the direction of the Democratic Party, with some voters questioning whether candidates like Avila Chevalier can pivot from radical rhetoric to effective governance. Meanwhile, a Trump-backed July 4th festival lost most of its acts, highlighting the polarized political landscape.
