Two people were shot dead as opponents of President Nicolas Maduro flooded the streets of Caracas and other Venezuelan cities Wednesday, battling security forces in what's been dubbed the "mother of all marches" against the embattled socialist leader.
Venezuelan security forces fired tear gas as demonstrators staged what they billed as the "mother of all marches" against President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday, and a student caught up in a clash died after being shot in the head, Reuters reported.
Some protesters in Las Mercedes neighborhood even had to cross the Guaire River, a contaminated narrow river in Caracas, to escape from the many bombs that the National Guard threw at them. Energy Minister Luis Motta Dominguez said the boy was killed during an attempted assault.
The demonstrations erupted after the Venezuelan Supreme Court's March 30 announcement that it would strip the opposition-controlled National Assembly of its legislative powers. The charges that Venezuela is moving toward a full-blown dictatorship come against the backdrop of an ever-deepening economic crisis.
Supporters of the government held a rival rally in Caracas. A group of youths with their faces covered tore down street signs and billboards for makeshift barricades.
"Why did they decide to launch this offensive all of a sudden?"
The Supreme Court's decision has energized Venezuela's fractious opposition, which had been struggling to channel growing disgust with Maduro over widespread food shortages, triple-digit inflation and rampant crime. They have set up collection centers in cities across Venezuela and in cities outside the country with large Venezuelan communities, including New York City, Miami and Houston.
The government was also widely condemned for disqualifying opposition leader Henrique Capriles from running for office for 15 years, meaning that he will be ineligible to challenge Maduro for the presidency in elections due to be held next year.
The government has delayed local and state elections and blocked attempts by the Opposition to oust the President through a referendum.
Maduro said this week that he would increase the size of a citizen militia that supports the government to 500,000 members and give each cadet a gun.
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China and the United States have held high level discussions over the past week as tensions were heightened. However, the airline said the decision was made because of a lack of demand.
"I heard shots and when I arrived she was on the ground".
Opposition marchers included Liliana Machuca, who earns about $20 a month holding two jobs teaching literature.
Wednesday's mass protest fell on a significant date for Venezuelans: On April 19, 1810, Venezuelans began their quest for independence from Spain. "I tried to protect her as much as I could", Ramirez's boyfriend said. "We'll see who tires out first".
The lawyer explained that 16 of these arrests took place in Caracas, 69 in Anzoategui state, 57 in Bolivar, 40 in Cojedes, 37 in Falcon, 16 in Barinas, 32 in Tachira, 31 in Carabobo and 24 in Portuguesa, stressing that there are still more cases in other regions of the country.
They have galvanized the often divided opposition in its efforts to force Maduro from power.
Today's protests unfolded amid explosive tensions, in a country where security forces have brutally repressed anti-government demonstrations, sometimes in collaboration with armed pro-government groups.
Maduro, speaking at a meeting with high-ranking political and military officials Tuesday, denounced that as a "green light (for) a coup".
However, Venezuela's opposition has summoned many protests, asking for an end to the 18-year-old socialist government and calling for elections.
Foreign governments are also warning about the increasingly bellicose rhetoric coming from the government. Government supporters are also marching Wednesday in a counter-demonstration rejecting calls for a coup.
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