NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Demonstrators assembled near Centennial Park on Sunday to voice their opposition to the U.S. government's decision to remove Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela, joining similar protests across the country this weekend.
Click here for more information about the Maduro case.
The gathering, organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation in Nashville, drew a large crowd of protesters who expressed passionate opposition to American intervention in Venezuelan affairs.
"We have no right to invade another country, they didn't attack us," said Nancy Stetten, one of the attendees.
Stetten believes the U.S. government's motivation centers on Venezuela's oil resources.
"I'm ashamed, just deeply ashamed to see what our government is doing," Stetten said.
Among the protesters was Karl Meyer, a longtime activist who brought signs he originally made 24 years ago for Iraq War demonstrations.
"I figured why keep making the signs because I've been demonstrating against war for 68 years," Meyer said.
While protesters voiced their opposition, some Nashvillians of Venezuelan descent were celebrating the developments throughout the weekend.
Javier Soto happened to be in the park during the protest.
"You can ask any other Venezuelan and they are going to say exactly the same. We are celebrating that the dictator is not in his position that allowed him to do a lot of damage to the Venezuelan society," Soto said.
Despite their differing opinions, Soto praised the protesters' right to peaceful assembly in the United States.
"The right of people to talk is wonderful, and that is something that we, sadly because I lived in Venezuela for most of my life, I had to leave the country when I was 30 years old. We couldn't do that anymore under our dictatorship," Soto said.
The protesters expressed hope their demonstration would influence future policy decisions.
Meanwhile, CBS News reports that inside Venezuela, there's a tense calm, with many people lining up outside stores over the weekend to stock up on supplies amid the uncertainty.
This story was reported on-air by Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles and our editorial team verify all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
In this job, we have the opportunity to meet truly remarkable people. The Sullivan family has faced incredibly tough times, but time and time again, turn their grieving into giving. What an honor to tell their story.
- Carrie Sharp
