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S. Florida Venezuelans Excited About Election

MIAMI (CBS4) – Venezuelans in South Florida are excited about the April 14th election when they will cast their ballot for a new president of their homeland following the death of Hugo Chavez last week.

At El Arepazo, a Venezuelan restaurant in Doral, Silvia Romero is using her phone to keep track of what's going on at home in Venezuela. She and her family are here on vacation. They hope to return to a different Venezuela following the death of Hugo Chavez.

"Everything is going to change everything it's going to be a very different country. Now everything is bad, everything," she said.

After Chavez died Tuesday, Vice President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in Friday as acting president of Venezuela. The opposition has offered the candidacy to Henrique Capriles.

"I think Chavez has its followers, there's no doubt about it but there's also a very strong opposition it's a matter of organizing and keeping it together," said Vanessa Flores.

Flores says she wants to participate in that election, but still doesn't know exactly how it will work.

"I don't trust it's going to be legal, and for all the Venezuelans in Miami we don't know if we're going be voting," she said.

Venezuelans in Miami have still not heard if they will be able to cast their ballots here or have to travel to New Orleans like they did for the last election following the closure of Miami's consulate.

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