Tuesday evening after presenting at the United Nations Summit on Climate Change, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro seized the opportunity to visit community leaders, local activists and grassroots groups in an event hosted by Hostos Community College of the South Bronx, in New York City.

Around 1,000 people attended the event, which was organized by Citgo, and many arrived early to wait outside for good seats and to hold signs welcoming Maduro as “president of the people.”