EDITOR'S NOTE: CNN is using first names only in this story at the family's request to protect their privacy. New York -- Her 3-year-old in tow, Franyelis stepped out of the repurposed budget hotel, its blue awning faded where the "Days Inn" logo once was.

The big picture: Greater Miami is home to the largest Venezuelan diaspora in the U. S. Driving the news: In Doral, nicknamed "Doralzuela" for its large Venezuelan population, police closed roads outside the restaurant El Arepazo as crowds waved flags, honked car horns and snapped group photos.