South Florida’s Venezuelan community gathers to protest election

MIAMI — Calls for freedom echoed Saturday at Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami, as the local Venezuelan community stood in solidarity with their brothers and sisters taking to the streets back in their home country.

The crowd condemned long-time Venezuelan socialist president Nicolas Maduro after he said he beat opponent Edmundo González Urrutia in Sunday’s election.

The U.S. has recognized González Urrutia as Venezuela’s president-elect, based on evidence the opposition released this week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.

Over the weekend, a growing number of leaders in the international community expressed concern, with Pope Francis saying “I appeal to all parties to seek the truth, to avoid all kinds of violence.”

“That means that we are all united, and being here is a symbol of going against them, and I think this is the right thing to do,” said demonstrator Alfredo Leon.

“We’re standing for our fellow Venezuelans back there, down there, because we know they are struggling. They’re fighting for their lives. They’re fighting to defend liberty and democracy and to defend the results of the election the past 28th of July,” said one of the demonstration organizers, Maria Teresa Morin.

Many said this day was emotional, to see so much support in South Florida.

“It’s a mix of feeling. You’re happy because you see the end of a process, but it’s very sad all the moments that many people are having,” said Ysbael Bello.

Local leaders showed their support as well, including Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami City Commissioner Joe Carollo and Doral Mayor Christi Fraga.

“It’s really, really, really a congregation that we see all around the world that we showed to the world that it was a fraud and Venezuela deserved freedom,” said Gabriel Duque.

Many are hopeful their voices will be heard and they can go back to their home country again soon.

“Right now, we just want to go back. If you ask a regular Venezuelan, he’s going to tell you that he wants Maduro to leave because we want to go back to our country. And as soon as we remove Nicolás Maduro, you’re going to see, you’re going to witness all Venezuelans going back to our country because we never want to left,” Morin said.

“If everything goes right the way it should be, I will be there soon,” Leon said.