By Joyce Moed
Special correspondent

June 25, 2006

Manuel Oliver, owner of Don Pan International Bakery in Weston, emigrated from Venezuela with his wife and two young children three years ago.

The Parkland resident said it was a challenge at first, learning the way business worked in the United States. But today, he said, he knows he made the right decision.

"[Venezuela's] not a safe country for yourself, your family," he said.

South Florida feels close to home for Oliver and many other Venezuelan immigrants. According to a 2004 U.S. census survey, the most recent, almost 53,000 people of Venezuelan heritage live in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. They are invited to gather for a series of events within the next two weeks in honor of their homeland's Independence Day on July 5.

These events serve as venues for Venezuelans to get together, Oliver said.

"This Independence Day is not like the Fourth of July," he said. "In Venezuela, it's a day off. You don't go to work, but you don't necessarily celebrate.

"But here, anytime we can find a reason to be together we do it."

Oliver won't be able to make it, however, because his business is open seven days a week. "I gotta work," he said. "But I believe there's a lot of Venezuelans that will go."

His business is in a city -- Weston -- particularly known for a large Venezuelan presence. Oliver said that while it's true Weston attracts Venezuelan residents, it actually serves as a melting pot for people of many nationalities.

"There are a lot of people from Colombia and Venezuela, and we also have people from India and Peru," he said.

Gaby Rodriguez, 39, said the last time she went to Weston, she "felt like I was in Caracas."

Rodriguez has lived in Ohio since leaving Tamarac a few years ago, but she visits South Florida often to see family in Weston and Orlando.

"I really lived all the stages of the Venezuelans arriving to this country," Rodriguez said. "I came to Florida when I was 12, stayed until I was 17, then moved to Minnesota, went back to Venezuela for five years, then came back again to Florida."

Her parents chose Florida, she said, because it most resembled Venezuela.

"Back in '78, it was the closest and most like back home, weather-wise," she said.

The family's first move was to Sunrise, for educational opportunities. "It was about learning the language," she said.

Their second move was to Tamarac, for safety issues. "We moved back because the money went skyrocket, and also for family reasons," she said. "[We] came back when my father, back in '94, already knew things would go bad again in Venezuela so he decided to buy property again. He actually didn't live in Florida then, just traveled back and forth."

She said that was common. "Back in the '80s and '90s, Venezuelans came here to visit, and for investing, but always went home," she said. "Now it is different. It's mainly about safety."

Rodriguez becomes sad when she thinks of the situation in her homeland.

"I get frustrated knowing that Venezuela has the resources to be the best, and yet, we are going in the opposite direction," she said.

Rodriguez is grateful her father decided to move the family when he did.

"I guess it's a matter of luck that I'm able to be here," she said. "And many don't have that privilege. But it is an opportunity I won't take for granted."

Still, she thinks events celebrating Venezuela are important, "to remember your roots.

"Especially if you have kids born here," she said. "So they know their heritage."

Jorge Rivero's family had an important reason for leaving Venezuela 18 years ago.

"We moved ... for medical reasons for me," said Rivero, 22, of Boynton Beach. "Medicine there wasn't advanced so we moved to Miami for one year, then to Spain for a few years, then came back to Florida."

At the time, the family left behind relatives, friends and a thriving business. But he said, in retrospect, leaving then was probably a good move.

"My parents had a business there, which actually did really well, importing and exporting fish. It was hard to leave the business behind, but things are really bad there right now," he said. "People there are either poor or rich. ... last time we were there four years ago, we got robbed. ...

"There were regrets but, economically, it was probably a good thing we moved."

Rivero said his family did not specifically seek out other Venezuelans in Florida, or join Venezuelan clubs or groups. "We just hung out with the Latin community," he said.

Like Oliver, Rivero will not be attending the planned events and sees the holiday as something to observe, not necessarily "celebrate."

"We will remember it, and probably see each other," he said. "And we'll say, `Hey, it's Independence Day,' but no, we don't go to the events."

Our Community's Many Faces periodically spotlights one of the dozens of nationalities conducting South Florida celebrations of cultural and historic milestones.

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