Rally Held In Downtown Miami For Peace In Venezuela
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – This weekend the crisis in Venezuela enters a new phase.
The country's chief prosecutor was ousted by the newly elected and all-powerful constitutional assembly.
In better news for the opposition, Saturday night one of their most prominent leaders, Leopoldo Lopez, was released back to house arrest after being removed from his home on Tuesday.
With all this going on in Venezuela, a rally was held in Downtown Miami for peace.
Venezuela faces international scorn, sanctions and demands for reform.
All of those things brought dozens of people to downtown Miami and the Torch of Friendship Park Monument on Saturday to rally for change in that country.
As the band played at a rally for Venezuela at the Torch of Friendship in downtown Miami, one band member showed off his skills.
Later he opened up about his country.
"Sometimes I feel so sad because my family and my friends are in Venezuela and I'm receiving the news of Venezuela all the time and it's not good," said Wizzmer, a Venezuelan musician.
It's not good, and it's getting worse.
Hundreds of members of a constituent assembly, loyal to President Nicholas Maduro, took their oaths of office Friday.
The move comes amidst a widening crackdown on opponents of the Maduro regime as inflation and food shortages continue to rock the country.
But you wouldn't know that from the words of the assembly members.
On Saturday, more chaos as the new assembly removed the country's attorney general Luisa Ortega Diaz from office.
Diaz had been critical of Maduro's efforts to install a government that would tighten his grip on the country.
She said she fears for her country.
The Miami rally called Miami Unites for Liberty in Venezuela brought together Cuban-Americans and Venezuelans united in their support for freedom in Venezuela and end to Maduro's reign.
Local leaders like Republican state representative Jose Felix Diaz hope rallies this like one help spur change.
"I believe this is the moment where our community can stand and support the Venezuelan people in their quest for democracy and hopefully make a big difference," said Rep. Diaz.
It's clear that U.S. leaders are watching the events unfolding in Venezuela and working to keep international pressure on Maduro and others to restore constitutional order there.
