There are so many controversial issues in this country and around the world right now, and they obviously have repercussions here in Florida.
During the weekend following the death of American Renée Nicole Good, who was shot by an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent in Minneapolis on January 7, activists in South Florida joined national protests denouncing ICE. Protests took place in Coral Springs, Boca Raton, and Miami, and this is only the beginning of a series of demonstrations to come. According to Bob, an American protester who is critical of the Trump administration, « in Broward County, law enforcement is mostly Democrat. So I feel safe protesting here, » he told the Soleil de la Floride. The co-executive director of Indivisible, one of the many groups behind the protests, said in a speech during the protests: « This weekend, across the country, people are gathering not only to mourn the lives lost to ICE violence, but also to denounce a system that has torn families apart and terrorized our communities. We demand justice for Renée, the removal of ICE from our communities, and concrete action from our elected leaders. «
In this regard, there is denial surrounding a possible new ICE detention center in Jupiter, Palm Beach County, where warehouses could be converted into processing centers to hold up to 1,500 detained migrants. But according to WLRN, local authorities, such as the mayors of Jupiter and Palm Beach County, have stated that they have no official information and that the project is part of a broader federal initiative for which no final decision has yet been made.
Another controversy: several sources close to the political team of María Corina Machado, Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, claim that she is planning to travel to Miami on January 16, the day after her meeting with Trump in Washington, who strongly criticized the Nobel Committee for not awarding him the Peace Prize. Although Trump has said that Machado “does not have the support or respect” in Venezuela to lead the country, Machado has offered to give her Nobel Prize to Trump “as a token of gratitude for his decisive action” in Venezuela. However, the Nobel Committee has said that this would not be allowed.
According to polls, most Venezuelans in South Florida disagree with Trump. Many are urging Machado to come to Miami (Bayfront Park) to hold a rally to restore Venezuelan democracy and underscore her unwavering support for Venezuelans.
