NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A day before President Donald Trump is set to meet with members of the Venezuelan community in South Florida, local volunteers put together boxes of food and supplies that will be taken to the South American country’s border.
Organizers of the supply drive, held at a warehouse in Northwest Miami-Dade on Sunday, said they were in awe by the outpouring of support. About 10,000 pounds of food and medicine are now on the way to the Venezuela-Colombia border as the country continues to spiral into chaos.
7News cameras captured dozens of volunteers packing food, medicine and personal supplies into cardboard boxes as donations rolled in.
“They’re helping us, so that’s very beautiful,” said a woman wearing a baseball cap with the colors of the Venezuelan flag.
Volunteers quickly sorted and packed supplies before loading them into a trailer.
“It’s incredible that all the community is arriving here to bring food, medicine to my country,” said a volunteer.
The supply drive takes place as Venezuela plunges deeper into political chaos amid a humanitarian crisis and struggle for power.
“We don’t have access even to flu [medicine], for example,” said volunteer coordinator Leonardo Treci. “We don’t have any medicine. If you find medicine, it’s too expensive.”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has already refused humanitarian aid, ordering the military to block roads into the country.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., visited a staging area for the U.S. along that border on Sunday. He was critical of Maduro’s actions.
“Feeding people is not anything to do with the military, and in fact, it is a crime against humanity to deny food and medicine to unarmed and innocent civilians,” said Rubio.
Back in South Florida, volunteers at the warehouse said they are looking forward to Monday’s event where Trump is scheduled to speak with the Venezuelan-American community at Florida International University’s campus in West Miami-Dade.
“We are hoping for more support, and we are hoping for — we would like to hear from him that all this food is going to enter Venezuela,” said Treci.
The supplies are expected to arrive at the border on Friday.
Trump is scheduled to speak at the FIU Ocean Bank Convocation Center beginning just after 4 p.m.
He’s expected to show his support for interim President Juan Guaido, emphasize that the current path toward democracy is irreversible and let the military know the United States is aware of their money hidden across the world.
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