(Bloomberg) — Doral, a city west of downtown Miami that is home to one of the biggest Venezuelan communities in the US, will rename a street in tribute to opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who is currently touring the country.
A section of an avenue near the US Southern Command office in Doral will be called “María Corina Machado Way,” according to a statement, “honoring her lifelong commitment to democracy, freedom, and human rights.”
The tribute in South Florida is in contrast to the colder welcome she’s received from the White House since Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro was snatched from Caracas on drug trafficking charges.
While Machado met with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday, the visit went off with little fanfare, no joint press conference and scant official photos. During the visit, she also gifted him her recent Nobel Peace Prize medal, drawing mixed reactions from supporters.
Trump described her as a “wonderful woman who has been through so much,” but didn’t indicate she should lead a transition to democracy in the country. She was warmly greeted by members of the Venezuelan community in Washington afterward.
Just a day earlier, Trump touted a “very good” phone call he had with Delcy Rodriguez, vice president under Maduro who is currently leading the Venezuelan government.
Venezuelans in Doral quickly took to the streets on Jan. 3 to celebrate the downfall of Nicolas Maduro, after a US military operation snatched him from his home in Caracas along with his wife to face trial on charges in New York.
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