ORLANDO, Fla. – Emotions ran high Sunday in Central Florida as the Venezuelan community reacted to a major turning point back home.
Hope, prayer, and uncertainty collided inside First Baptist Orlando just days after the U.S. captured Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro.
Songs of worship and heartfelt prayers filled the church as Venezuelans and supporters gathered for the vigil. The gathering comes after the U.S. carried out a large-scale strike in Venezuela this past weekend, capturing Maduro.
“Yesterday we saw freedom and God,” said Jormary Paez, an Orlando resident. “Because only God, with the help of President Donald Trump, we obtained it.”
[VIDEO: Floridians split as some protest, others celebrate Maduro’s capture]
Dozens came in draped in the Venezuelan national flag and singing the country’s national anthem.
Paez, who fled Venezuela after her mother was prosecuted and her father was fired for opposing the government, described the moment as a dream come true.
“It’s worth all the sacrifice, all the marches, and the fights we had that truly impacted us,” she said. “That’s why we are in this country that gave us asylum. Thank you. It was worth all the sacrifices.”
William Diaz, founder of the local advocacy group Casa de Venezuela Orlando, said that no matter where people stand politically, unity is critical now.
“I’m not a fan of President Trump because I’m extremely pro-immigrant,” Diaz said. “But I understand what’s going on right now is the right thing to do.”
Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. would not run Venezuela day to day, limiting its role to enforcing an oil quarantine and walking back earlier remarks made by President Trump.
Diaz added that restoring balance in Venezuela will take time.
“Taking full control of power could take days, weeks, maybe five months, but I guarantee you we will have new elections this year,” he said.
Many here today are hoping this could lead to several Venezuelan Americans returning to the country, and they’re hoping Central Florida can help with those efforts.