Over the weekend, Phoenix witnessed a wave of protests as demonstrators gathered at the Arizona State Capitol to express their dissent against a U.S military strike in Venezuela. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, protesters were adamant about their stance, chanting "Venezuela in our hearts. Stop this war before it starts" and displaying a preference for peace over War.
"We’re here to say not in our name. Not in the name of American people," Lexsiri Coronado, one of the protest organizers, told FOX 10 Phoenix. Their message was further amplified as they moved from the capital to the downtown streets, voicing concerns over the allocation of tax dollars. A sentiment echoed by protest organizer Jordan Napier was, "It’s completely wrong for the U.S. to go and kidnap an elected official in another country."
The demonstrations extended onto Van Buren for an hour as the crowd held signs and expressed their anti-war message. "This is not about drugs, this isn’t even ultimately about oil, this is about consolidating US imperial influence in Latin America," Devan Clyde, a protester, explained in a statement obtained by AZFamily. Meanwhile, Joshua Leingang emphasized the simplicity of his stance with face paint spelling out a clear message of "no war."
However, the U.S. military action has not been met with uniform disapproval. In cities like Miami, Venezuelans celebrated the news, hoping for a change back home. Yordana Bolanos, a Venezuelan native and founder of an Arizona-based Venezuelan organization, shared her personal joy with AZFamily, "This is a historic day for Venezuela... I’m going to be able to see my grandmother again. I’m going to be able to see my mom." Bolanos also questioned the authenticity of the Phoenix protestors' composition, asking, "I want to ask you how many Venezuelans were there? Seriously, how many Venezuelans were there?"
As the country grapples with this divisive issue, law enforcement has been closely monitoring the events. Both reports from FOX 10 Phoenix and AZFamily confirmed the police presence during the demonstrations, ensuring safety as opinions clash on the streets and online.
