‘A clear subversion’: Venezuelans in Miami mourn country’s future after critical election

Yulyhec Echeverría dreamed of returning to Venezuela. And at one point, Sunday’s presidential election seemed as if it might open the door for her to go back.

But after the race was called for Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, Echeverría isn’t sure she will ever be able to go home.

“The dream of all Venezuelans who have migrated is to return home, and if [opposition candidate] Edmundo González had won, I would have gone back. But now, I can’t,” said 24-year-old Echeverría.

Speaking to el Nuevo Herald from El Arepazo, a renowned Venezuelan restaurant in Doral, home to the largest community of Venezuelan ex-pats in the U.S., Echeverría said she left Barquisimeto in 2017 after protesting against Maduro. She feared for her life and the safety of her daughter and her then-partner, so they left to Costa Rica. She moved to Arizona about a year ago.

In tears, Echeverría, who was vacationing in South Florida, mourned how Maduro was declared the winner of the country’s pivotal presidential election, despite irregularities and evidence of a strong showing by González. She had hoped for a change; not just to return home, but to help rebuild the country.

The controversial announcement, made by the government-controlled electoral council, was immediately challenged by the opposition. Exit polls by credible independent firms during the voting Sunday showed the opposition winning by as much as a 2-to-1 margin.

READ MORE: In controversial ruling, Venezuelan regime declares Maduro winner of pivotal election

Around Echeverría, a mix of disillusionment and resignation was evident Monday at El Arepazo, which might have otherwise been a place of celebration had the election been called for González.

Cristian Mota, 39, said he had held on to hope for an opposition victory. He left Venezuela seven years ago, spending five of those years in Costa Rica. Mota currently resides in Alabama but is in Florida visiting relatives.

Mota, who left behind his parents and three children in Venezuela, believes the only possible hope for the country is a military intervention. He doesn’t believe any opposition politician could win, saying the government can easily manipulate the outcome.

“We need to end this tyranny,” Mota exclaimed.

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Samuel Vilchez Santiago, the manager of Movement, Affairs, and Charitable Organizations at ActBlue, a small-dollar fundraising platform supports Democrats and left-leaning organizations, wasn’t shocked about Maduro’s sketchy victory.

READ MORE: U.S. worries violence may follow Maduro’s claim of election victory in Venezuela

“Maduro’s puppets announced he had won the election, with virtually no vote tally from the polling locations giving him an edge,” said Vilchez Santiago, who is originally from Venezuela. “This is a clear subversion of the will and votes of the Venezuelan people, and we must stand united demanding that Maduro accepts the real results.”

Vilchez Santiago sees an uncertain future for Venezuela but said he’s grateful to the administration of President Joe Biden for its efforts in supporting the Venezuelan cause.

“We call on them to continue the pressure to ensure the will of the people prevails in Venezuela,” he added.

Nerlitt Torres, the president of the nonprofit organization Blanco Nieves Sierra, emphasized that María Corina Machado’s leadership has managed to unite Venezuelans in an unprecedented way.

Machado, who won the opposition’s primary with more than 92% of the vote before her candidacy was banned by the regime, endorsed González, 74, a former Venezuelan diplomat who was virtually unknown in the country.

“For us Venezuelans, there is no other way out,” Torres said. “We are democratic and know there might be negotiations, but the sooner this situation passes, the sooner we will be able to achieve democracy.”

Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, stated that the effort of millions of Venezuelans who voted in search of democracy “will not be in vain.”

“Maduro’s dictatorship has decided to ignore a historic vote against it, and that will have consequences,” Ferro said. “Venezuelans deserve our support and recognition. Venezuelans in Venezuela were heroes, risking their personal safety in the process.”