Trump Visits Venezuelan Restaurant in Doral Amid Nearby Protests

President Trump made a brief stop at El Arepazo, a popular Venezuelan restaurant in Doral, as Miami's Venezuelan community gathered nearby.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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President Donald Trump made a quick visit to the Venezuelan restaurant El Arepazo in Doral, Florida, where he greeted a crowd of around 100 local Republican supporters. Meanwhile, members of Miami's large Venezuelan-American community gathered outside the restaurant, some hoping to catch a glimpse of the president. Trump praised the work of Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Latin American policy and discussed the oil sector in Venezuela.

Why it matters

Trump's visit to the Venezuelan restaurant in Doral, a city with a large Venezuelan-American population, was seen as a show of support for the community amid the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela. The president's remarks on Venezuela's oil sector also highlighted the close economic ties between the U.S. and Venezuela, even as the two countries have had strained diplomatic relations.

The details

During his brief visit, Trump shook hands with the attendees and asked them whether they were from Venezuela or Cuba. He also praised the work of Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Latin American policy while speaking with the restaurant's co-owner, Maximo Alvarez. The visit came shortly after the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, an event that sparked celebrations at El Arepazo and throughout Doral's Venezuelan-American community.

  • Trump spent only a few minutes inside the restaurant on Monday afternoon.
  • The visit came shortly after the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

The players

Donald Trump

The 45th President of the United States.

Marco Rubio

The U.S. Secretary of State and a prominent figure in U.S. policy towards Latin America.

Maximo Alvarez

The co-owner of El Arepazo, a popular Venezuelan restaurant in Doral, Florida.

Christi Fraga

The mayor of Doral, Florida, a city with a large Venezuelan-American population.

Nicolás Maduro

The former president of Venezuela, whose capture sparked celebrations in the Venezuelan-American community in Doral.

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What they’re saying

“I had to be there, like a testimony to say thank you.”

— Luis Gonzalez del Castillo, Venezuelan-American resident

“It is an amazing experience simply because you know he's the president of the United States of America.”

— Maximo Alvarez, El Arepazo co-owner

“There's a lot of support for him in this community. 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.”

— Christi Fraga, Doral Mayor

What’s next

The judge in the case of the former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro will decide on Tuesday whether to allow him to be released on bail.

The takeaway

Trump's visit to the Venezuelan restaurant in Doral highlights the importance of the Venezuelan-American community in Florida politics and the president's efforts to maintain support within that community, even as diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Venezuela remain strained.