Venezuelans from Miami are heading to Washington Thursday to demand sanctions against the Venezuelan government.
About 120 Venezuelan-Americans and supporters gathered for the 20-hour trip, intending to speak their minds on the violence in their homeland.
"That's my biggest concern, to stop killing the students in Venezuela," said Diana Rivas, who was part of the group heading to Washington.
The protesters are expected to arrive Friday and will press for the U.S. to cancel visas for Venezuelan government officials, seize their U.S. assets and keep them from doing business with American companies.
The group is expected to demonstrate at the Capitol, the White House and the Organization of American States.
"Of course, what can we think if we're students? Imagine if it happened to us. It's a catastrophe," said Rosangel Espinoza.
"I want her to know that I'm gonna fight until they get freedom and that I love her," 9-year-old Ashley Acero said of her big sister, who is still in Venezuela.
Meanwhile, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding a hearing on Venezuela Thursday, with Sen. Marco Rubio scheduled to speak.
Venezuelan uprisings began in February over crime, inflation and shortages of goods. Armed security forces have faced off against protesters barricading streets and sometimes hurling rocks or homemade bombs, and at least 41 people have died and another 800 have been injured.
