President Donald Trump made a quick stop at El Arepazo in Doral Monday afternoon, greeting a crowd of roughly 100 members of the Miami-Dade Republican Party who gathered inside the popular Venezuelan restaurant.<\/p>\n
Streets around the area were lined with security as local residents waited for a chance to see the president. Many who were not invited inside found spots along the sidewalk, hoping for a glimpse.<\/p>\n
“I had to be there, like a testimony to say thank you,” said Venezuelan-American Luis Gonzalez del Castillo, who waited outside.<\/p>\n
Inside the restaurant, Trump shook hands and asked the crowd of attendees whether they were from Venezuela or Cuba.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It is an amazing experience simply because you know he’s the president of the United States of America,” El Arepazo co-owner Maximo Alvarez said. He added the visit showed support for the community.<\/p>\n
Trump spent only a few minutes inside but used part of that time to praise Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s work on Latin America policy while speaking with Alvarez.<\/p>\n
The visit comes shortly after the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, an event that sparked celebrations at El Arepazo and throughout Doral’s large Venezuelan-American population.<\/p>\n
“There’s a lot of support for him in this community,” said Doral Mayor Christi Fraga. “He’s a man of his word and that’s something that a lot of people value. Many presidents have said they’re going to do certain things and they don’t do it.”<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, Trump focused much of his public remarks on the war in Iran, but briefly addressed Venezuela’s oil sector. The president said 100 million barrels of Venezuelan oil are currently being refined in Houston, with another 100 million on the way.<\/p>\n
“It’s like a partnership,” Trump said. “We are getting along so well with them. It’s great for Venezuela and it’s great for the United States.”<\/p>\n
Fraga said she also spent part of the weekend hosting dignitaries for the Shield of the Americas Summit, including the president. During an informal dinner, she said they discussed Miami’s growing international profile, including preparations for the G20 summit expected at the end of the year.<\/p>\n