In South Florida, Venezuelans react to Hugo Ch?vez?s death

In the South Florida enclaves crowded with Venezuelans who fled President Hugo Ch?vez?s regime, Ch?vez?s death Tuesday afternoon prompted spontaneous gatherings in familiar places. Local politicians weighed in offering reactions and predictions. And television and radio stations ramped up their news coverage, in what could be a preview of how Miami reacts to the eventual death of Fidel Castro.

Several news crews broadcast live in the early evening from Doral, home to scores of Venezuelans and a Venezuelan-born mayor. Many gathered at El Arepazo, a popular Venezuelan restaurant, waving Venezuelan flags and cheering ? Venezuela presente? ? Venezuela is present.

But the early crowds appeared thinner than in Weston, another city with a high concentration of Venezuelans.

El Arepazo 2, inside a strip plaza off Weston Road, began filling up with customers Tuesday evening, some of them women with baby strollers, others men drinking Polar beer ? a Venezuelan brand. They clustered around the television. A TV news crew interviewed customers. Later, the crowd spilled out into the street.

News of Ch?vez?s death was welcomed with cheers and hope for a more Democratic future. Customers gathered around a flat screen TV tuned to Telemundo?s live broadcast of the news from Venezuela. Others waited in line for arepas, their gazes fixed on the TV.

Daniela Calzadilla and her sister, Corina, toasted Ch?vez?s death with Polar beer in styrofoam cups. The women hoisted a small Venezuelan flag.

?We hope this is the path to return our democracy and that hopefully we can have the same country we once had,? said Daniela, who moved from Caracas five years ago. She left because crime in the Venezuelan capital skyrocketed under Ch?vez?s leadership, she said, and career opportunities dwindled.

Corina Calzadilla, who moved to Weston a decade ago, said she felt bad for Ch?vez?s children. ?The death of a parent is painful,? she said.

The sisters said they plan to return to Venezuela to vote in new presidential elections.

At a nearby table, Oscar P?rez, 31, said he was celebrating ?the birth of a new country.?

?There?s so much happiness,? said P?rez, who moved to Weston from Caracas the year Ch?vez took power. ?We?ve been waiting 14 years. I?ve seen how he ruined the country. It?s anarchy.?

P?rez?s brother, Armando, 29, said his joy was tempered with concern about reaction among pro-Ch?vez supporters, known as chavistas, back home.

?This is the first step to big change,? he said. ?I hope nothing bad happens, and that ignorant people don?t resort to violence.?

P?rez said he looks forward to new elections in Venezuela.

And though Ch?vez built a political base in Venezuela, Armando P?rez said he doesn?t believe the movement Ch?vez created will survive without its populist and charismatic leader.

? Chavismo without Chavez doesn?t exist,? he said.

Though the P?rez brothers have lived nearly half their lives in South Florida, they have friends and relatives back in Venezuela.

Carlos Marino, 63, watched the TV with the Perezes. All three are car salesman for the nearby Rick Case dealership.

They broke into occasional song, including popular tunes Viva Venezuela and Yo Me Quedo en Venezuela (I?m staying in Venezuela).

Some customers were just hearing the news.

? Es verdad,? Marino said happily. It?s true.

?I never wish anyone death,? he continued, ?but in this case I did. He poisoned the Caribbean.?

Marino lives in Miami Lakes. He moved to south Florida 15 year ago, he said, because he did not like Ch?vez.

?I have a new life here,? he said, ?but I always wish happiness and liberty for my people.?

Marino said the first person he called when hearing the news was his uncle in Margarita, an island off the northern coast of Venezuela. His uncle was screaming with joy, Marino said.

Miami Herald writer Paradise Afshar contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/05/3268693/in-south-florida-venezuelans-react.html

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