The world is divided over Trump’s actions toward Venezuela, and Florida also has its share of differing views. It should be noted that the Sunshine State is home to a large Venezuelan population, estimated at more than 300,000 people, representing half of the total in the United States. Concentrated in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Venezuelans form a significant cultural and political bloc in the southeastern part of the state.
Despite some criticism and uncertainty surrounding Maduro’s overthrow, Venezuelan expatriates gathered in Doral on January 3 to express their optimism, hoping that this arrest would finally mark the beginning of lasting change for their country. For their part, the organizers of the “No Kings” demonstration protested that same evening to oppose Trump’s attack on Venezuela.
Among Florida politicians, views are also divided along party lines. Nikki Fried, chair of the Florida Democratic Party (FDP), criticized Trump’s attack on Venezuela, saying that the action “seemed more motivated by oil than by democracy or regional stability. Trump lied and repeated his promises to avoid new wars and prioritize American interests, but now it is the oil companies and billionaires who will profit, not the American people. » Fried added, ”This was not a transparent or legal process; it was a unilateral regime change with no clear plan for what comes next. Once again, Trump acted as if he didn’t need Congress, the American people, or our allies. »
As for the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis, he remained silent over the weekend of the attack, unlike his Republican colleagues on social media. On Monday, January 5, WLRN reports that DeSantis broke his silence by stating that he hoped Venezuelans could “free themselves from the yoke” of the Marxist ideology that characterized the regimes of Hugo Chavez and Maduro, “as it is one of the most destructive reigns in the Western Hemisphere.” At the start of a press conference, he said, “Maduro has been indicted, so this operation has been successful. He deserves to be brought to justice.”
According to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll released on January 5, one in three Americans supports the US overthrowing Maduro. Politico reports that more than two-thirds of Republicans approve of the Trump administration’s military operation in Venezuela, while Democrats largely oppose it.
