Miami flipped red for the first time since 1988. These Latino voters know exactly why.

MIAMI − The line at the ventana (a to-go window) at Versailles, the iconic Miami Cuban restaurant, snaked towards the parking lot. In the courtyard, which was dotted with concrete tables and benches, people crowded around the outdoor bar as the restaurant transitioned from breakfast to lunch.

Music began to blast from the speakers, playing Spanish pop, salsa and reggaeton, from Marc Anthony’s “Ale Ale” to “El Merengue” by Manuel Turizo and Marshmello.

The atmosphere in southeast Florida has been almost celebratory as of late, said Eric Guzman, 38. It’s felt that way ever since former President Donald Trump won the election, notably clinching Miami-Dade County, which flipped red for the first time since 1988.

“I realize this may sound rather ‘boomerish’ … but there’s almost like this palpable sense of resurgence in the air,” said Guzman, of Miami, which is about an hour south of Trump's Palm Beach golf club Mar-a-Lago. “Everywhere I physically go, it's almost like the majority of folks have this collective sense of optimism, this feeling of hope, almost as if America has been revived and blessed from the divine.”

Across the country, Latinos still largely voted for the Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris. She won 51% of the Latino vote nationwide, compared to Trump's 46%, according to exit polling conducted by Edison Research and distributed by Reuters.

But in Florida, Latinos helped secure a victory for Trump. Exit polling shows he won 58% of the state's Latino vote.

A separate poll of Latino voters conducted on behalf of the Hispanic civil rights and advocacy group UnidosUS from mid-October through Election Day found that nationwide 37% of Latinos voted for Trump but that in Florida, his share of the Latino vote was almost 20 points higher — 56%. UnidosUS, in a statement, called its poll a "cross-check" on exit polling.

There are more than 3.3 million eligible Latino voters in Florida, according to the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute. And in Miami-Dade County, 64% of voters are Latino.

Latino support for Trump in Florida might surprise some. After all, Trump largely disparaged immigrants, particularly from Venezuela, while on the campaign trail. But Trump’s criticism of migrants didn’t deter Venezuelans or other Hispanic voters in Miami from supporting the now-president-elect. And there are some clear reasons why.

'We don't want to repeat the same story'

Gustavo Garagorry, who immigrated from Venezuela in 2002, said safety in the U.S. was a big concern for him, along with the economy. He said he believed it’s good that Trump has said he wants to address crime related to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which has had some members enter the U.S. in recent years.

Venezuelan President Nicolàs Maduro in July declared victory in the country’s presidential election even as the current U.S. administration and other foreign governments cast doubt on official results. President Joe Biden earlier this year reinstated a Venezuelan oil ban after signs showed Maduro was not serious about holding a free and fair election in the country, a reversal of an agreement the two countries had to buy Venezuelan oil if Maduro held free elections, released political prisoners and allowed dissidents to run for office.

“Our top priority is to see our Venezuela free in democracy,” said Garagorry, who lives in Doral. He criticized the Biden administration for initially rolling back the ban and for coordinating the release of political prisoners, which included Maduro's close ally, Alex Saab.

“We saw a lot of stupid things with part of this current administration in the White House," Garagorry said. "We want to free our country. Because now Venezuela is, you know, it's in a regime, a dictator. They don't call that a dictator, pero it is.”

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Under Maduro, who has been in power since the death of Hugo Chávez in 2013, Venezuela’s economy has collapsed and a humanitarian crisis has deteriorated in the country. That’s led to millions migrating to other Latin American countries, and across the southern U.S. border.

Cesar Grajales, who is Colombian and has a morning show on a local Spanish-language radio channel, said many voters who are from places like Cuba, Venezuela and Colombia are still connected to their home counties. They often still have family there and continue to get news from back home.

“People who (were) not born here, like myself, we don't want to repeat the same story that we left behind,” said Grajales, 43, director of public affairs for the LIBRE Initiative, an advocacy group that targets Hispanic voters. “So when you see candidates that are promoting agendas that are similar to the political agendas that we left behind, it’s a little bit scary.”

He pointed specifically to Harris’ plan to address high prices in the U.S. by going after price gouging of groceries and food by some companies. Grajales said for many, especially Venezuelans, it sounded like price control.

“And where do you see price control? Where do you hear that?” he said. “Well, you heard that in Venezuela.”

Many voters 'just want to have a change'

During his early morning radio show, which runs at 5:30 a.m., Grajales said he got calls from self-identified Democrats expressing concerns over the economy but who said they would continue to support their party.

But his main takeaway: many of the callers “just want to have a change.”

Garagorry said he hoped that Trump would take executive action to help Venezuela. (Trump during his first administration often hit Venezuela and top leaders with sanctions.) But he also said he wanted to see the president-elect bring back industries and money to the U.S.

Garagorry remembered looking at shoes with a friend as a teenager in Venezuela. On the label of the shoes, it had the three words: “Made in USA.” That, he said, is what Trump wants.

“This country has to reactivate industry and all business in this country,” said Garagorry. He's hopeful and says he will be attending Trump’s inauguration in January.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump won Miami with many Latino voters. Here's how.