TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Tallahassee residents gathered at Cascades Park to protest U.S. military actions in Venezuela and support local Venezuelan neighbors.
- Demonstrators called for respect for Venezuelans’ right to self-determination.
- The gathering followed other public responses to U.S. military action over the weekend, including here in Tallahassee and beyond.
- Watch the video below to hear the reasons behind the protest and what the White House is saying about Venezuela's future.
Tallahassee neighbors protest U.S. military actions in Venezuela at Cascades Park
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A local protest with a global focus.
A group of Tallahassee neighbors gathered at Cascades Park Monday to speak against U.S. actions in Venezuela.
I’m neighborhood reporter Lentheus Chaney in Downtown Tallahassee, with why organizers say decisions abroad can have consequences here at home.
Holding signs over Monroe Street, demonstrators used the busy corridor at Cascades Park to draw attention to U.S. military actions in Venezuela.
Margaret Clark, a leader with the organization Indivisible Tallahassee, says her group wants to support local Venezuelan neighbors and send a message to Washington.
“That’s what we are supporting is their right to choose who they want to lead them and not our president to go in forcefully and determine what is going to happen to their government, to their natural resources, and their way of life,” Clark said.
The White House says the action was necessary, citing concerns about narco-trafficking and the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
Federal officials say those concerns escalated into strikes aimed at pressuring the Venezuelan government.
Leaders in the Trump administration say they want to protect U.S. interests and hold Venezuelan leaders accountable.
They say that includes control of energy resources.
Monday’s demonstration came just a day after members of the Venezuelan community in Tallahassee gathered at the state Capitol.
That group protested the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and expressed concerns about the future of their country.
When asked why Indivisible Tallahassee chose to demonstrate, member Theresa Farley said they believe foreign policy decisions can have global consequences that eventually reach communities like Leon County.
“I think that people here in Tallahassee are just as concerned as every other American about our democracy and keeping it strong,” Farley said.
The “No War for Oil” group says they plan to hold additional events and continue raising awareness about their message.
In Downtown Tallahassee, I’m Lentheus Chaney, ABC 27.
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