Merchants and neighbors near Mar-a-Lago perceive drastic changes in the area due to the increase in security around Donald Trump's residence in Florida, where traffic interruptions and the constant presence of followers have been recorded.
Jorge Alfonso runs a popular Cuban cafe a few meters from Mar-a-Lago, the residence of President-elect Donald Trump, in Palm Beach, Florida. The man, who started this business four decades ago, has noticed that since the republican won the presidential electionhave increased police vehicles and the presence of United States Secret Service agents in the area in recent weeks.
“It is very busy and I have noticed that the protection around Donald Trump has increased, there is more movement,” said the 56-year-old businessman outside his business, located on the same access road to the exclusive private club of Trump.
It is common for the presence of federal agents to increase in the private residences of presidential candidates from the moment they are declared winners. “It is a protocol that is already established internally and the only thing that is done is to execute it in coordination with state and local authorities,” explained Nelson Barbozo, retired agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to the Voice of America.
According to several local media outlets in Palm Beach County, in recent weeks some meetings have been taking place with the participation of the US Secret Service and other representatives of security agencies at the local, state and federal level.
The main objective, Barbozo said, is to outline “a comprehensive security plan for the protection of the president-elect” in this area, which has already become accustomed to coexisting with strict security measures since Donald Trump was elected president in 2016 and became Mar-a-Lago in a place he used to go regularly during his first term.
“Coordination between the different levels of security is essential to guarantee the protection of the president,” said Barbozo, while clarifying that the authorities are also looking for a way to “minimize interruptions for the local community,” since every time he enters or the presidential motorcade leaves, traffic must be completely paralyzed as a security measure.
According to local sources, the Secret Service, in collaboration with law enforcement, continues to evaluate security needs in the region, which could mean further logistical adjustments in the coming weeks.
“The Winter White House”
During his first term as president, Trump designated Mar-a-Lago as his winter retreat, a place where he combined rest with presidential activities. This practice was not without criticism.
The nickname “Winter White House” was cemented when world leaders such as the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the place to discuss diplomatic matters. Images of Trump handling international issues from the club's terrace sparked a debate about security and transparency in an environment accessible to club members and their guests.
Strong security device
The entrances to Mar-a-Lago remain completely protected under a strict security operation led by federal and Palm Beach County agents. The authorities have deployed an extensive device in the area to monitor any possible threat, with intensified patrols by land, air and sea, considering that the residence of former President Donald Trump adjoins a bay.
The president-elect's security was raised after the assassination attempt last July that shocked the US and the worldand forced the Secret Service to reevaluate its operations and internal protocols.
As part of the plan, nearby stretches of road have been blocked and concrete barriers and tanks have been installed at strategic points. Movement in the area has been partially restricted, and traffic is closely monitored.
This robust operation demonstrates the authorities' concern to guarantee the security of the place, which continues to be a point of national attention. The increase in resources and personnel underscores preparation for possible contingencies, at a time when Mar-a-Lago remains under public and political scrutiny.
Elsa Sánchez, another 81-year-old “Trump neighbor,” believes that “there is no choice but to get used to” living with this “new normal” starting on January 20, when Donald Trump is inaugurated again as president of the United States.
“It doesn't bother me that there is so much security because it has always been like this since he arrived at the White House and he regularly came here,” he stressed.
The neighbors accept the inconvenience
Juan Roberto, another resident of Cuban origin who has lived in the Palm Beach area for more than 40 years, believes that it is “normal” that there are so many traffic interruptions and that this ends up affecting the residents of the area.
“I remember that when he was in the White House he used to come many Fridays, after a week of work, although this was not always the case and he could appear at any time,” Roberto recalled. The curtain installer is convinced that Trump will “go back to the same routine” when he returns to the White House in January.
Both Alfonso and Roberto agree that every time Donald Trump moves through this area, “dozens of fans” crowd the streets to see him. “There are times when 'The Beast' – as the official vehicle of the US president is popularly known – has even slowed down so that people could see it and say hello,” commented the owner of the cafeteria.
“His fans support him and cheer him up (celebrate loudly). That seems very nice to me, we have waited for him several times, when he was going to pass coming from the airport. We played music and flags for him because we are also his followers and we are from the Republican Party,” said Juan Roberto.
Presence of fans
This place has also become a meeting point for Donald Trump supporters who regularly come to this place to express their support for the now president-elect. Terry Budler has traveled from Tennessee to Florida to see the residence of the American tycoon up close.
“It's our first day of vacation and I have decided to come with my whole family here, to see what this mansion is like, it is our way of expressing our support,” said the man leaning on his vehicle, while his wife took photographs of the house with your cell phone.
What is Mar-a-Lago?
Mar-a-Lago covers more than 8 hectares that connect the Atlantic Ocean with the inland waters of Florida. The mansion, built in a style that combines Hispanic and Renaissance influences, includes more than 100 rooms, decorated with Italian marble, Spanish tiles and gilded details.
In 1985, Donald Trump purchased the property for $10 million, a sum that included the original furnishings and adjacent land. Since then, Mar-a-Lago has operated as a private club, with an annual membership that can cost more than $200,000.