Death of 19-year-old during anti-Maduro protests stirs controversy, under investigation

Record ID: 559804

  • Title: Death of 19-year-old during anti-Maduro protests stirs controversy, under investigation
  • Date: 7th April 2017
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (APRIL 6, 2017) (REUTERS) CLOUDS OF TEAR GAS AMID PROTESTERS IN THE STREET CLOUDS OF TEAR GAS AND MOTORCYCLISTS IN THE STREET CLOUDS OF TEAR GAS AND PROTESTERS RUNNING PROTESTERS THROWING ROCKS PROTESTER RUNNING WITH TEAR GAS CANISTER PROTESTERS CARRYING INJURED FELLOW PROTESTER GENERAL VIEW OF TEAR GAS AN OPPOSITION PROTEST WITH OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS HOLDING ARMS IN AIR IN SIGN OF SURRENDER
  • Embargoed: 21st April 2017 18:24
  • Keywords: Gaby Arellano Nicolas Maduro Tareck William Saab opposition protest
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA AND INTERNET
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA AND INTERNET
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0036BEJ32B
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Venezuelan opposition leaders mourned on Friday (April 7) the death of a 19-year-old man killed during the previous day's anti-government demonstrations while the government promised to investigate.
    The death of Jairo Ortiz was the first protest death since a controversy over the Supreme Court blew up last week.
    At a Friday news conference, opposition leader Gaby Arellano blamed National Guard troops for his death.
    Thousands of Venezuelan opponents of President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government marched on Thursday (April 6) to protest a decision by the administration-leaning top court to assume control of the opposition-led congress in what demonstrators said was a lurch toward dictatorship.
    While the widely condemned decision was quickly overturned, the opposition has stepped up street protests against Maduro, even though such demonstrations have achieved little in the past.
    Thursday's march culminated in clashes, and opposition leaders said Ortiz was shot in a Caracas suburb that night by security forces that were breaking up a protest there.
    The state prosecutor's office on Friday confirmed the death and vowed to investigate.
    Venezuela's national ombudsman Tarek William Saab said via Twitter that the crime "will not go unpunished".
    Local media reported Ortiz was a university student planning to emigrate from Venezuela, like so many in the middle class that have fled to Colombia, Panama, Chile or the U.S. city of Miami amid the economic crisis and political turmoil.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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