Avenal officials condemn threats and racist remarks after recall
.JPG "Tensions arose during the Avenal City Council meeting on Thursday, June 11, 2026, when three of the four recalled council members voted to stay in office, refused to accept the April 28 special recall election results and community members served city leaders with a civil restraining order.")
The city of Avenal is condemning threats, racism and intimidation following tensions that arose during Thursday’s City Council meeting, when racial slurs were hurled during public comment.
The city shared Saturday evening a public statement on its Facebook page condemning “threats of violence, intimidations, racist remarks and disparaging comments directed at public officials, city staff or members of the community.”
The city’s statement was posted two days after tensions arose over the Avenal recall controversy at the city’s June 11 council meeting. That night, three of the four recalled council members voted to stay in office, refusing to accept the April 28 special recall election results.
At the same meeting, community members served city leaders with a civil restraining order. Residents on both sides of recall issue packed the meeting. Many felt the meeting was not legitimate.
One of the videos circulating online shows Avenal resident Keith Jackson saying to Deputy City Clerk Karla Curiel, “Mrs. Curiel, we want to continue this meeting, go ahead, because they don’t make your mom’s green enchiladas in jail. ... Maybe you can help them give them the recipe.”
“That was very inappropriate,” Mayor Pro Tem and recalled Councilmember Leticia Gamez said from the dais in response to Jackson’s “green enchiladas” comment.
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The City Council members and city staff who were present at June 11 meeting are Latino.
Another video shows Avenal resident Thomas Chastine making burrito remarks and questioning whether someone on the dais understands English.
“I know my constitutional rights, and you can’t tell me anything, ‘cause you are not the mayor. Do you understand that part? Or you need somebody to translate for you into Spanish, so you understand,” Chastine said to an unspecified council member.
. After making a comment about the burritos in prison or jail, he added, “Don’t worry, somebody will teach you. Because you guys need to learn the hard way.”
Many on social media considered Chastine’s and Jackson’s comments disrespectful, inappropriate, out of line and racially insensitive, while others considered them freedom of speech.
The city statement also condemns “increasing hostile rhetoric” that has originated from a private Facebook group (Concerned Citizens of Avenal) that has become “a platform for personal attacks, defamatory accusations, hateful commentary and targeted harassment.”
“When racist slurs, threats, and harassment are tolerated, it becomes clear this recall was built on hate, not accountability,” Avenal City Manager Antony V. López wrote on social media. “This is why I continue standing up for Avenal.”
Thursday’s meeting took place a week after the Kings County District Attorney’s Office notified Avenal to cease and desist from spending any public funds after voters recalled four council members in April. Only one member lawfully sits on the City Council.
The meeting agenda included an item for the City Council to review the recall results and documents related to the election certification and then to accept or reject the results. The recall ballot included Councilmembers Gamez, David Reynosa and Pablo Hernandez, and Mayor Alvaro Preciado.
Preciado said that while the recalled council members have received many threats, the city didn’t want to postpone or cancel Thursday’s meeting.
As a precaution, four police officers were assigned to be at the meeting, said Avenal Police Chief Cecilio Velasco, who regularly attends.
At the meeting, Gamez, Hernandez and Preciado voted to decline recognizing the recall election results. Reynosa, who also was recalled, was absent from the meeting. Preciado’s and Hernandez’s terms expire in November. Gamez’s and Reynosa’s terms expire in 2028.
The city maintains that the recall process was conducted unlawfully and that municipal elections must be conducted only by authorized city officials.
Voters behind the recall of the four council members filed an injunction against them and served them and other city officials with civil restraining orders on Thursday.
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 7:00 AM.
