Bellefontaine Mayor Ben Stahler hosted an impromptu gathering Wednesday with dozens of Venezuelans who now live and work in the community.
The event took place to show solidarity with the workers’ countrymen who are staging protests across the South American nation.
“I think what tugs at my heart strings the most, is that many of these good people had to leave family behind in Venezuela,” the mayor said. “It’s got to be tough.”
Stahler agreed to host the gathering so the Venezuelans could have a central location to rally against the socialist policies of their home country’s President Nicolas Maduro.
The Associated Press reports Juan Guaido, the new leader of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, turned up the heat by declaring himself interim president before a mass of demonstrators in Caracas. He said it is the only way to end the Maduro “dictatorship” in Venezuela, which has seen millions flee in recent years to escape sky-high inflation and food shortages.
President Donald Trump and his administration recognize Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate leader and will use U.S. economic and diplomatic power to push for restoration of Venezuela’s democracy.
“The people of Venezuela have courageously spoken out against Maduro and his regime and demanded freedom and the rule of law,” President Trump said in a statement.
Many of the local Venezuelans were recruited to work at NEX Transport Inc. facilities to help supply materials and assemblies to the area Honda auto plants.
On Tuesday, United States Vice President Mike Pence encouraged Venezuelans living here to gather and show their support for protesters in their homeland.
Wednesday also was the anniversary of the 1958 overthrow of Venezuela’s then military government.
At the local event, Stahler gave the group a letter from his office stating, “As the good people of Venezuela make their voice heard today, on behalf of the citizens of Bellefontaine, we say, ‘Estamos con usted.’
“We are with you. We stand with you, and will stay with you until democracy is restored and you reclaim your birthright of libertad.”