DORAL, Fla. – Hundreds of South Floridians are returning home after heading to New Orleans to try to vote Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez out of office.
Chavez shut down the Venezuelan consulate in Miami months ago, so those Venezuelan nationals had to go to New Orleans, the nearest voting precinct, to cast their votes.
Those voters gathered in about 50 buses to drive the 32-hour round trip to vote for Henrique Capriles, a lawyer running against Chavez.
"It's for our family in Venezuela. We want the best for them. We need the best for them," said Yami Sotillo.
Only a handful voted for Chavez. But upon returning, many who voted for Capriles told Local 10 how disappointed they were.
"Everybody is crying. It's a sad day for Venezuela," said Juali Bordones. "It's sad for the people who voted for Chavez, I don't understand how. There's so much killing."
"Every vote is needed whenever there's an election," said Raimundo Molina. "And, even knowing the results right now, if I had to do it again, I'd still do it."
Some voters said they believed the election was corrupt and others said they planned on voting again.
"You have to do it because it's necessary for something you are fighting, for something you believe, for democracy, for freedom," Edwin Villasmil said.
"I'd like to say it's going to progress. At some point, we will overcome," said Sotillo.
Chavez will be serving another six-year term. It is his third re-election.