Alianza for Progress is a left-of-center voter mobilization group based in Orlando, Florida. It partners with the Florida Democratic party to register Hispanic voters. ¹

In May 2023, Alianza for Progress filed a lawsuit alongside other left-of-center voter-mobilization groups in opposition to Florida Senate Bill 7050. Alianza for Progress opposed provisions of the bill implementing fines and penalties on third-party voter registration groups that mishandle voter registrations, mail-in ballots, or retain voter information, claiming that such penalties are racist as they may deter third-party organizations that register ethnic minorities. ²

Background

Alianza for Progress is the advocacy arm of the Alianza Center that campaigns on behalf of the Puerto Rican and Latino community in the Orlando, Florida area. Its advocacy is based on the belief that government operations and services disproportionately benefit large companies and high-net-worth individuals. ³

Alianza for Progress engages in voter mobilization efforts in coordination with the Florida Democratic Party and funds political campaigns in support of Democratic candidates in Florida. ^{1 4}

Activities

In May 2023, the Alianza Center filed a lawsuit alongside the Florida chapter of the NAACP, the Equal Ground Education Fund, Voters of Tomorrow Action, Disability Rights Florida, Alianza for Progress, UnidosUS, and the Florida chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans claiming Florida’s Senate Bill 7050 violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments and is racist. The lawsuit is critical of the bill’s provisions that require third-party voter registration organizations to renew registration each election, and provisions that increase the fines and criminal penalties for incorrectly returned applications and when third-party groups retain voter information. ⁵

The plaintiffs claim that these provisions deter individuals seeking to participate in third-party voter registration and increase the costs of organizations to train individuals. It also argues that it would be racist to enforce these provisions since they would allegedly disproportionately impact ethnic minorities. ²

Campaigns

In October 2022, Alianza for Progress co-signed a letter by then-House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and over three dozen Democratic Representatives to Senate leadership requesting $5 billion in emergency funding to provide residential solar systems for Puerto Ricans affected by natural disasters. The letter was co-signed by Power4PR, Earthjustice, Oxfam, and the Environmental Defense Fund. ⁶

Beginning in June 2019, the Florida Democratic Party, Florida Forward, Alianza for Progress, and New Florida Majority held a voter registration campaign seeking to register 200,000 Democratic voters by the 2020 presidential election. Alianza for Progress reported that it participated in the campaign by targeting the Hispanic community in the Orlando area. ¹

In June 2020, Alianza for Progress ran a political ad questioning former U.S. Representative David Rivera’s (R-FL) business dealings after making a $50 million deal with a Venezuelan oil company and called on U.S. Congress to investigate it for corruption. ⁷ Alianza for Progress’s executive director Marcos Vilar accused U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) of being connected to the alleged corrupt business deal as he has associated with Rivera and had recently been appointed the chair of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee. ⁸

In July 2024, former U.S. Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (R-FL) spoke at an event hosted by Alianza for Progress where she promoted her efforts to oppose U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) in the 2024 election. ⁹

In 2018, Alianza for Progress spent $10,850 in campaign expenditures to oppose then-Florida Governor Scott’s Senate campaign and $49,549 in support of U.S. Representative Darren Soto (D-FL). ⁴

Financials

Between 2020 and 2022, Alianza for Progress reported receiving $2.75 million in contributions. During that same time period, the Open Society Policy Center committed $3 million in grants to Alianza for Progress. ⁹

In 2022, Alianza for Progress reported receiving $726,781 in total revenue and $725,581 in total expenses. ¹⁰

Leadership

Juan Marcos Vilar is the executive director of Alianza for Progress. He has previously worked as an organizing director for New Florida Majority, the Florida state director for Alliance for Citizenship, and the national field director for Mi Familia Vota. In 2014, he founded his company Vilar Strategy Group which has provided consulting services for the NAACP National Voter Fund, New Florida Majority, and the Orange County Democratic Party. ¹¹

1. Powers, Scott. “Democrats Say They’re on Pace to Register 200,000 New Voters for November Election.” Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government., February 26, 2020. https://floridapolitics.com/archives/320607-democrats-say-theyre-on-pace-to-register-200000-new-voters-for-november-election/
2. Florida State Conference of Branches and Youth Units of the NAACP; Equal Ground Education Fund; Voters of Tomorrow Action, Inc.; Disability Rights Florida; Alianza for Progress; Alianza Center; UnidosUS; and Florida Alliance for Retired Americans v. Cord Byrd, Ashley Moody, et al, Democracy Docket (UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA TALLAHASSEE DIVISION 2023).
3. “Alianza.” Alianza for Progress. Accessed July 22, 2024. https://alianza.org/alianza/
4. “Alianza for Progress Independent Expenditures.” OpenSecrets. Accessed July 22, 2024. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/alianza-for-progress/C90017815/independent-expenditures/2018.
5. Sheehan, Brittany. “Gov. DeSantis Signs Election Reforms into Law, Elias Law Group and NAACP Sue Claiming Racism, per Usual.” redstate.com, May 25, 2023. https://redstate.com/brutalbrittany/2023/05/25/gov-desantis-signs-election-reforms-into-law-elias-law-group-and-naacp-sue-claiming-racism-per-usual-n751118.
6. Walton, Robert. “House Lawmakers, Advocates Want $5B to Help Puerto Rico Install Rooftop Solar, Storage Systems.” Utility Dive, November 22, 2022. https://www.utilitydive.com/news/congress-5-billion-puerto-rico-install-rooftop-solar-storage-resiliency/637178/.
7. Alianza for Progress. “Why Is Florida Republican David Rivera Cutting Deals with the Maduro Regime?” YouTube, June 1, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8hbf7kWH9Q.
8. Nicol, Ryan. “Alianza for Progress Demands Congressional Investigation of David Rivera Venezuela Deal.” Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government., June 4, 2020. https://floridapolitics.com/archives/337982-alianza-progress-investigation-rivera/.
9. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who called dark money a threat to democracy, partners with Soros-funded Dark Money Group. Accessed July 22, 2024. https://freebeacon.com/democrats/debbie-mucarsel-powell-who-called-dark-money-a-threat-to-democracy-partners-with-soros-funded-dark-money-group/.
10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Alianza for Progress Inc. 2022.
11. “Juan Marcos Vilar.” LinkedIn. Accessed July 22, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanmarcosvilar.