Philadelphia's Venezuelan community finds hope as anxiety grows amid U.S. strike
For 43 years Carolina Calderon has been living in Philadelphia, but she still has family in Caracas, who called her around 4:30 a.m. Saturday after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured and flown out of the country.
"I'm glad, finally he's out. He should have been out a long time ago, but I don't like the way it happened because we're very peaceful," Calderon said. "My main concern at this moment is what's next?"
Calderon says she's now fearful for her family after the U.S. launched a military attack, and says her loved ones and many others were told not to leave their homes.
"I saw pictures this morning of all the explosions and everything and just couldn't believe my beautiful city this happened there," she said.
"Everyone went out to the supermarket obviously to buy food, everyone went out to fill their car with gas, you're checking all the boxes because they don't know what's going to happen," said Gil Arends, owners of Puyero Venezuelan Flavor, said.
Arends says many customers came into his Society Hill restaurant Saturday as a show of solidarity.
"From Venezuelans, everyone walks in with smiles, we are happy he is detained and out of power," Arends said.
Arends says Venezuelans are dealing with a variety of emotions, happiness, fear, hope, but his heart is with many of his family members still living in Venezuela who are now asking what will tomorrow and the weeks ahead look like.
"They are hopeful of change, they hope we can transition back into a democracy, but at the same time they fear what's going on," he said.
Members of the Venezuelan community are set to gather in unity at noon on Sunday at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Organizers say it will be a space for reflection and a chance to pray for the future of Venezuela.