Roads blocked round Venezuela as anti-Maduro protests persist

Record ID: 876197

  • Title: Roads blocked round Venezuela as anti-Maduro protests persist
  • Date: 15th May 2017
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (MAY 15, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF OPPOSITION PROTESTERS WITH VENEZUELAN FLAG VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SITTING ON HIGHWAY WITH FLAGS AND POSTERS ACTIVIST WEARING VENEZUELA CAP ACTIVISTS SETTING UP POSTERS AND CROSSES CROSSES WITH NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED DURING PROTESTS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SITTING ON HIGHWAY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FREDDY GUEVARA, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VICE-PRESIDENT, SAYING: "The dictatorship wants people to get used to living in a dictatorship and we will not allow the dictatorship to disguise peace as tranquility, absence of conflict. We are going to increase the conflict so that those who are supporting Nicolas Maduro understand that there is no possibility that they will make us submit and try to get us to be calm. So we are on the streets of Venezuela. This has been the earliest protest we have called and we are taking an entire day of struggle to guarantee change in Venezuela." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WRITING 'FREEDOM' ON HIGHWAY PROTESTERS HOLDING PROTEST SIGNS AND VENEZUELAN FLAGS VARIOUS OF WOMAN WITH POSTER BANGING ON METAL AS FORM OF PROTEST VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SETTING UP CROSSES CROSS ON POSTER WITH IMAGES OF RELIGIOUS AND HISTORIC LEADERS PROTESTERS ON HIGHWAY WITH WOOD AND POSTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FRANCISCO RIVERO, PROTESTER, SAYING: "I am against this narco pro-Castro dictatorship that has the people completely depressed, without food, without medicine, without security, with all powers collapsed in favour of this dictatorship. That is why we are here protesting, here each and every day necessary." VARIOUS OF WOMAN TYING BALLS ON ROPE PROTESTERS WORKING ON WOODEN FRAME PROTESTERS PLACING ITEMS ON HIGHWAY TO BLOCK ROAD PEOPLE SITTING ON HIGHWAY WITH POSTERS AND FLAGS WOMAN HOLDING POSTER THAT READS: 'ALL OF VENEZUELA RESISTING' UPSIDE DOWN VENEZUELAN FLAG AND MOTORCYCLE ACTIVISTS SITTING ON HIGHWAY AND PLAYING CARDS ACTIVISTS SITTING AT PROTEST, ONE WITH VENEZUELAN FLAG ON BACK AND THE OTHER CARRYING POSTER OF VIRGIN MARY ACTIVISTS ON HIGHWAY
  • Embargoed: 29th May 2017 17:00
  • Keywords: dead crosses highway opposition protest
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016GY9Z5Z
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Manning barricades, holding posters and even playing cards, opposition supporters blocked roads in various parts of Venezuela on Monday (May 15) to try to keep pressure on socialist President Nicolas Maduro.
    Using branches, rocks and garbage, demonstrators blocked the main Francisco Fajardo thoroughfare in Caracas from soon after dawn. Many brought chairs, mats and food to last the day.
    There were similar protests in other major cities around the South American nation of 30 million people.
    The opposition, which commands majority support after years in the shadow of the ruling socialists, has varied protests but has been unable to stop violence in their ranks, with youths hurling stones and petrol bombs, vandalizing property and starting fires when security forces block marches with tear gas, pepper spray and water cannons.
    At least 39 people have died, including protesters, government sympathizers, bystanders, and security forces, during six weeks of protests.
    Demonstrators have been on the streets daily since early April to demand elections, freedom for jailed activists, foreign humanitarian aid to offset Venezuela's economic crisis, and autonomy for the opposition-controlled legislature.
    Maduro accuses them of seeking a violent coup.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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