MIAMI – Venezuelans will head to the polls this weekend in a tensely-awaited presidential election.
For more than a decade, the Nicolas Maduro regime has ruthlessly held onto power in Venezuela through a relentless rollout of democratic process roadblocks, this time around disqualifying lead oppositional candidate Maria Corina Machado.
“Supporting a democratic transition, even though it is very difficult and has been immensely difficult to get to this point, many things can happen from here to Sunday,” said Venezuelan-American activist Adelys Ferro.
“So how free and fair will this election you think be on Sunday?” asked Local 10′s Christina Vazquez.
“That is a very good question, I know he is doing anything in his power to suppress the vote,” said Ferro.
“So then why do you feel like for the first time in 11 years there is actually hope that things can change?” asked Vazquez.
“Because — finally — the opposition is totally united, beyond their differences,” replied Ferro.
She also thinks years of family separations and a declining economy have taken enough of a toll to convince Venezuelans to head to the polls.
“The possibility exists that we are at the something has to give point, and we will see on Sunday,” said U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida. “People are starving, they can’t get access to food because he has collapsed the normal functions of government, so there is pressure there, but there is also sanctions that have been working.”
Machado’s challenge has been, according to the Associated Press, in translating “her fame and charisma into votes for Edmundo González Urrutia, who was chosen by the chief opposition coalition after Machado was unable to overcome a ruling blocking her candidacy.”
And while exiles don’t have an opportunity to cast a ballot, immigration attorney and Doral City Councilwoman Maureen Porras said they are encouraging exiles to reach out to their loved ones in Venezuela.
“They will not be able to vote here in the U.S., what used to be the consulate in Brickell is not open and operating, it doesn’t exist anymore, and therefore they are not going to be able to vote,” Porras said. “Encouraging the community in Venezuela to go out and vote, and we are hoping that they vote for democracy and liberty.”
Added Wasserman Schultz, “There is hope, there are some observers that are there in Venezuela and we are not completely discarding the notion that there could be momentum with the result to ensure we can make a transition and involve the regional allies and the United States to negotiate his departure.”
But if Maduro wins, could South Florida see another mass migration of Venezuelans?
“We have TPS in place for Venezuelans,” said Wasserman Schultz. “We had it extended by President Biden and Vice President Harris, and we also have a parole program, so we have a number of lawful pathways that will allow for some legal absorption.”
There are Venezuelan election watch parties happening in Doral and Miami on Sunday, and a morning peaceful protest is planned at Venezuela’s closed consulate in Brickell.
SUNDAY EVENTS
Peaceful Protest: 9:30 a.m.
1101 Brickell Avenue
The Venezuelan community is doing a peaceful protest in Brickell Sunday in front of the former consulate. The flyer states “They stole our right to vote, but they won’t stop our rights to protest.”
Watch Party: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
El Arepazo
10191 NW 58th street
Doral, FL 33178
Rally: 4 p.m.
Jose Marti Gym
434 SW 3rd Ave.