MIAMI -- Thousands of Venezuelan- and Cuban-Americans marched in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood Saturday in support of a two-month old strike in Venezuela that seeks to oust that country's embattled President Hugo Chavez.

With protesters carrying placards that read "Get Out Chavez" and "No Going Back," the rally was a mirror of the almost daily demonstrations held in Caracas since opposition leaders launched their national strike in December, AFP reported.

"This rally is unlike those in Venezuela because if you were there, it would have ended with tear gas and maybe even violence," said one of the marchers, Luis Matos.

"Here, we can demonstrate peacefully," he added.

Protesters wearing shirts in the red, yellow and blue of the Venezuelan flag banged pots and chanted in support of early elections. Several prominent labor and political leaders traveled from Caracas to speak to the crowd, which was estimated at 50,000.

"We want to tell the Venezuelan people they are not alone," said Carlos Ortega, the head of the country's largest labor group and one of leaders of the 47-day old strike.

"Leave us alone Chavez. We don't want you any more," Ortega said. Another opposition leader, former Caracas mayor Antonio Ledesma declared: "It's important to help get the message out and to let people know what is going on in Venezuela."

"Chavez wants to portray us as conspirators and coup plotters and we aren't," he said. The protests also drew Cuban-American leaders, including U.S. Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who accused Chavez of imposing a "totalitarian government."

The demonstration was coordinated by local Cuban groups and "All for Venezuela," an umbrella group of 25 organizations.

"I hope that being on the doorstep, the U.S. will take notice and realize they will be affected by everything that is happening," said Saritta Brittan, of all for Venezuela.