Local Venezuelans protest in Winter Garden

Local Venezuelans stood in solidarity with those in their native country as they staged a liberation rally Saturday, Aug. 3, in downtown Winter Garden.

By Michael Eng
| 1:00 p.m. August 5, 2024

The Winter Garden rally remained peaceful.

West Orange Times & Observer
News

About 100 local Venezuelans stood in solidarity with those in their native country as they staged a liberation rally Saturday, Aug. 3, in downtown Winter Garden.

The rally took place during the city’s Downtown Summer Sidewalk Sale. The city was not aware of the rally beforehand, and it took the Winter Garden Police Department about 10 minutes to set up a perimeter to ensure safety.

The local rally, which remained peaceful, was one of many throughout Florida and the world to condemn President Nicolás Maduro’s actions following the country’s July 28 election.

After the election, Maduro, Venezuela’s president for the last 11 years, claimed victory. However, independent reviews of the tally sheets indicate his challenger, Edmundo González, won the election by a considerable margin.

The United States has recognized González as the winner and Venezuela’s president-elect.

The rally took place during the city’s Downtown Summer Sidewalk Sale.

author

Michael Eng

As a child, Editor and Publisher Michael Eng collected front pages of the Kansas City Star during Operation Desert Storm, so it was a foregone conclusion that he would pursue a career in journalism. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Missouri — Columbia School of Journalism. When he’s not working, you can find him spending time with his wife and three children, or playing drums around town. He’s also a sucker for dad jokes.