Nicolas Maduro, Hugo Chavez's successor, beat candidate Henrique Capriles by a margin of less than one percent in the Venezuelan presidential elections on Sunday.
The tight race hit close to home for some Venezuelans who are unhappy with the election results.
Venezuelan native Carlos Sanchez, a business student at Santa Fe College, said Maduro, who was handpicked by the late Chavez, being elected is the "saddest thing" he has ever experienced.
"It's sad how people can be voting for a guy who doesn't know anything about politics," Sanchez said.
Sanchez, who has lived in Gainesville for a year, said he will continue to have hope for his country's future.
"My heart is always going to be there," he said.