Ahead of Tuesday evening’s Republican presidential debate, Latino advocates and groups are further dissecting the GOP’s “extreme” and “hateful” rhetoric on the campaign trail.

From Las Vegas, most of the Republican presidential candidates will debate various issues, but Latino rights groups have held their own events, ranging from roundtable discussions to rallies, on candidates' comments toward Latinos, women, immigrants, labor rights and the environment.

Labor rights icon Dolores Huerta, who participated in a roundtable discussion about the policies of Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas on Monday, told Latin Post that the GOP candidates are affecting the country's progress, with efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, which offers important services for Latinas, repeal the Affordable Care Act and cease President Barack Obama's immigration deferred action programs.

Huerta, and groups such as the Latino Victory Project (LVP), Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, Voto Latino, Nevada Progressive Coalition and People for the American Way, will hold a "#NoHateDebate Rally," with the purpose to hold Republican candidates accountable for their comments. Huerta said the really is to acknowledged that when hateful rhetoric is used, there are people getting killed, noting the Colorado Springs' Planned Parenthood shooter who said he was the defender of unborn children and the South Carolina church shooting where nine African Americans were killed.

"Hate speech really does have a consequence," said Huerta, who will later participate in "Latinos Decide Rally" to discuss the Republicans' "hurtful" policies affecting Latinos.

LVP President Cristobal Alex told Latin Post that the "Latinos Decide Rally" will focus more on the importance of insuring Latinos' voices are heard on Election Day 2016.

"Our position is that Latinos will decide who that next president is, and that person will be elected because that person best reflects the values of our community. [Latinos Decide Rally] is designed to engage and mobilize this very important Latino demographic in Nevada," Alex said.

For tonight's GOP debate, the LVP president hopes the candidates "tone down" the rhetoric and start talking to Americans "like adults, not like spoiled toddlers screaming and yelling." He added that Donald Trump, since the launch of the businessman's presidential campaign, has attacked the Latino community, and later went after women, African Americans and now Muslims.

"I ask why is it that he's doing this? Is he racist? Is he someone who just believes we aren't a part of the fabric of the country? Or is there some other reason? I think that reason is that he's afraid. He's afraid of a future where our community -- immigrants, people of color and others who drive the future of the country -- I think that's what it is. He's afraid of that," said Alex, which is a point he will address at the rally.

Tuesday's main debate begins at 8:30 p.m. EST on CNN with Cruz, Rubio, Trump, Ben Carson, Jeb Bush, Carly Fiorina, Chris Christie, John Kasich and Rand Paul. An "undercard" debate will start at 6 p.m. EST with George Pataki, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum.

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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