Exclusive: United Bodegas of America Calls to Acquit 'Innocent' Clerk

United Bodegas of America (UBA) spokesman and former New York City Republican mayoral candidate Fernando Mateo called for charges to be dropped against 61-year-old bodega clerk Jose Alba, who was arrested and charged with murder in the death of a career criminal who attacked him last week.

Speaking with Breitbart News on Monday, Mateo began by describing his intention to convey a message to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in a planned meeting Tuesday.

“We’re hoping that he is going to drop the charges against Jose Alba,” he said. 

In the meeting, Mateo said he would pose “a series of questions” to the Soros-aligned DA, which will include demanding an explanation for his “position on self defense” and what his office intends to do in order to “stop looters, robbers, assaults and murders of bodega owners.”

“What’s his office gonna do to support bodega owners from criminals?” he asked. “Does his office support gun licensing for bodega owners?”

Mateo also intends to ask Bragg whether he would consider not prosecuting Alba and whether the radical liberal DA will support the “stand-your-ground” laws that his group called on the city to adopt earlier this week in order to protect those behind the counter.

Expressing support for bodega owners being armed to deter would-be criminals following the recent Supreme Court landmark decision that struck down a New York law limiting those who can carry concealed weapons, Mateo noted that “New York is trying to fight that [decision] away.” 

“So let’s hope they don’t gain any traction on that,” he added.

Mateo also expressed his hope that New York “will make it easier for people and business owners to get legal guns if they choose to.”

Asked about crime victims being treated as criminals and vice-versa due to the DA’s liberal policies, Mateo insisted Braggs was not doing the right thing.

“If the question is, do you think he’s doing the right thing? The answer is no,” he said. 

“I think that he can do the right thing by dropping the charges against this innocent man who was defending himself,” he added, stating that he was “hopeful” that would happen.

Mateo’s message comes after Jose Alba was freed on bond following his arrest for second-degree murder for fatally stabbing 35-year-old ex-convict Austin Simon, who attacked the Manhattan bodega worker behind his counter.

The emergence of surveillance video has raised the possibility that Alba was acting in complete self-defense.

More recently, video footage obtained by the New York Post appeared to show Alba being stabbed by the ex-convict’s girlfriend, who appeared to draw a knife from her bag.

Last year, Mateo blasted Democrats for having “destroyed” the Big Apple.

“We’re tired of [Democrats]; we’ve had enough,” he said. “Democrats destroyed our city.” 

“Look at the garbage, look at the graffiti, look at the looters, the vandalism, the attacks on seniors. Look at our arts and cultural centers — they’re all closed,” he added.