As Venezuela readies itself for a presidential election this Sunday, South Florida residents are ready to support their countrymen from abroad, both in spirit and as unofficial election observers.
The highly anticipated presidential election poses an electoral challenge for the first time in years for President Nicolás Maduro, who is seeking a third term. His top challenger is former diplomat Edmundo González, the candidate from the main faction of the opposition, who has strong support among Venezuelans weary of years of economic deprivation.
This election, Venezuelans in the United States will not be able to vote. In the past, exiles have been able to cast their ballots at certain locations coordinated by the consulate. However, there are currently no diplomatic relations between both countries.
“We are not allowed to vote here in the United States, which is the saddest thing for all our Venezuelans here, but we are going to bring support for Venezuelans there," resident Maria Teresa Morin said at a demonstration on Thursday. “I have faith. I'm pretty much sure there's going to be a change."
The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.
Some Venezuelans in Miami said they planned to monitor the elections closely at command centers to help safeguard the voting process.
"We are going to bring information in real time about what is going on in Venezuela on election day, which is very important for our community here," Morin said.
Mayor Francis Suarez also pledged his support Thursday.
"We're going to give the Venezuelan people here not only our support but our resources to ensure it is a fair election," he said.
On Friday, Florida democrats including Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL25), who said she was a resident of the city nicknamed "Westonzuela," accompanied activists to declare their support as well.
Morin and others were full of hope for a change in leadership ahead of the elections. But Miami Commissioner Manolo Reyes voiced the concern on many minds.
“My fear is if the dictatorship does not give up power, how is the people of Venezuela react?" he asked.
More on the community in exile
The prolonged economic and political instability in Venezuela has forced millions of Venezuelans to leave over the past decade, quashing many of their dreams and leaving many wondering if they’ll ever return to what was once South America’s most prosperous country.
The refugee agency UNHCR estimates that more than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left since 2014, the largest exodus in Latin America’s recent history, with most settling in the Americas, from neighboring Colombia and Brazil to Argentina and Canada.
Most Venezuelans who have left in the past decade have settled in Colombia, where the government has set up a program to grant them legal residency status and incorporate them into the formal economy.
