Bay Area communities speak out on of Maduro's removal

Bay Area communities speak out on both sides of Maduro's removal

For some Venezuelan-Americans living in San Francisco, they saw Maduro as the devil they knew. Now, there's anxiety about who could take his place.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Communities across the Bay Area are reacting to – and speaking out on – the shocking turn of events in Venezuela. 

Those who emigrated from Venezuela are, of course, watching the situation very closely, and there's much disagreement about whether Maduro's removal will mean improvement or just more uncertainty. 

Local perspective:

Dozens of protestors sounded off late Sunday in Oakland's Fruitvale Plaza – slamming Pres. Donald Trump's surprise move this weekend to capture Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, and bring him to the U.S. to face drug charges. 

"I think it's all part of Trump's racist and incredibly repressive agenda. To destroy not just movements of the people for democracy here, but also across the world," said one protestor.

Some drew parallels between Trump's actions in Venezuela, and his steps on immigration here at home. 

"Kidnapping a foreign leader and his wife and separating him from his family looks very similar to the attacks that ICE has been doing on immigrant families here," said protestor Romaine Charite of the Oakland Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression.

Dig deeper:

The fast-moving situation in Venezuela has created uncertainty around two San Francisco Giants players who are currently in Venezuela – outfielder Luis Matos and catcher Jesus Rodriguez – spurring questions about how long it could be to return to San Francisco. 

In a statement Sunday, the Giants said: "We’re aware of the situation in Venezuela, and following the developments, our focus is on the well-being and safety of our players and families impacted by the unfolding events." 

"We have to just follow very closely how the situation develops in Venezuela," said Michael Shifter, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. 

However, for some Venezuelan-Americans living in San Francisco, they saw Maduro as the devil they knew. Now, there's anxiety about who could take his place. 

But many in the community are trying to stay positive, and stick together, in the face of a big unknown. 

"Resilience is a word that definitely defines us as Venezuelans. But these days we need to actually embrace that more than ever, and try to be our best version and gathering all of us as Venezuelans—as a big community, a strong community, to try to see the light at the end of the tunnel," said Alexis Gomez, a Venezuelan artist and employee at Arepas Latin Cuisine on 16th Street in San Francisco.