Doral takes stance on Venezuelan election

The city of Doral is once again wading into international affairs — this time offering support for opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia in Venezuela's disputed elections.

Why it matters: The measure comes soon after the city sparked a furor by calling for "an immediate and permanent end to all hostilities" in Israel and Gaza — a demand it later walked back.

What they're saying: Councilman Rafael Pineyro, who is Venezuelan, said it was "only fitting" for Doral to weigh in on the election as the city is home to South Florida's largest population of Venezuelans.

• Mayor Christi Fraga, posting on X in Spanish, denounced the Venezuelan regime's refusal "to recognize the true results of the elections."
• "From Doral, we stand in solidarity with Venezuelans in their fight for freedom, democracy and justice."

Friction point: Zohra Mehdi Khorashi, an advocate for Palestinian liberation who helped craft the rescinded resolution calling for an end to Gaza hostilities, told Axios Wednesday that Doral's statement on Venezuela was hypocritical.

• The council is "support[ing] the liberation of the oppressed Venezuelan population whilst denying the same for Palestinians," she said.
• Given the large number of Venezuelans living in Doral, council members have "more to lose by not speaking up for Venezuela than they have to gain from speaking up for Palestinians [and] Muslims," she added.

Catch up quick: In May, the city of Doral became the first South Florida municipality to call for an end to violence in Gaza, which many interpreted as urging a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

• A week later, Fraga reversed course, calling the peace resolution "well-intended" but "naive" and "fundamentally flawed."

• She asked the council to support a new resolution that commended "the extraordinary measures Israel has taken to minimize casualties" and its right to defend itself.
• The council agreed to revoke the initial resolution calling for peace, but failed to pass Fraga's new resolution.

The big picture: Officials across Miami have expressed their support for Gonzalez Urrutia.

• Miami Mayor Francis Suarez at a news conference last week said "the world must come together to right this wrong. Either the fraud continues or it ends forever."
• Earlier this month, thousands of Venezuelans gathered in downtown Miami to protest the outcome of the elections, the Miami Herald reported. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava was among the attendees.