KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Around 2,000 miles away on an entirely different hemisphere, an election crisis in Venezuela is having an impact in East Tennessee. Over the weekend, a group of Venezuelans plan to gather and rally in Market Square to call for the country's leaders to uphold the results of a recent election. The group said the election revealed strong support for the opposition leader.
On Aug. 1, the U.S. formally recognized Edmundo González as the victor, discrediting official results from the country's government. The U.S. urged country leaders to release vote tallies from the election while calls for an independent review of the results rise. The government's official results show incumbent President Nicolás Maduro as the victor.
Hours after Maduro was declared the election winner by the country's electoral body, González's coalition said it had evidence contrary to that. It said it had more than two-thirds of the tally sheets of each election voting machine which indicated overwhelming support for González.
Amid separate turmoil in the country in 2017, one mother fled and arrived in Lenoir City. She began setting roots in the area, and all the while calling for peace.
"There's nostalgia. There's happiness for the good memories. But, there's also hurt for what's happening," said Raquel Leal. "I wanted a better life for my daughter, but also for myself. I wanted to live free and in peace."
She and her family are asylum seekers in the U.S. amid intense political violence and oppression against many Venezuelan people. In 2017, Maduro's government and opposition leaders ended communications. In May, Maduro called for a new constitution to be drafted for the country and formed the Constituent Assembly, actions which were widely condemned as a coup.
Amid the crisis, military forces mobilized and violence erupted across the country.
"It was one of the most critical moments regarding oppression," said Leal. "My hope is for Venezuela to be free, free from corruption and free from the regime that reigns in Venezuela."
The White House recently released a statement that said, "There are clear signs the election results do not reflect the will of the Venezuelan people."
A group of Venezuelans will gather in Market Square on Saturday at 5 p.m. to call for Maduro's government to release the election results — joining in an international movement hoping to put pressure on Venezuelan leaders to follow the will of the country's people.
"I want to tell Venezuela to not give up hope and faith. It's the last thing we can lose," said Leal.