Tear gas flies as clashes erupt at Venezuelan protests

Record ID: 877152

  • Title: Tear gas flies as clashes erupt at Venezuelan protests
  • Date: 29th May 2017
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (MAY 29, 2017) (REUTERS) TEAR GAS CANISTER WEAVING THROUGH THE AIR TOWARDS GROUP OF PROTESTERS AND EXPLODING ON THE GROUND NATIONAL GUARD SHOOTING OFF MORE CANISTERS AMIDST SMOKE TEAR GAS CANISTER GOING OFF BY PROTESTERS / PROTESTER PICKS UP CANISTER AND THROWS IT AWAY MASKED PROTESTERS RESTING OF BARRICADE BY ROAD CANISTER FALLING AMONG MASKED PROTESTERS / PROTESTER PICKS UP CANISTER AND THROWS IT AWAY FROM CROWD MAN HOLDING CRYING BOY WHO HAS TEAR GAS IN HIS EYES / PROTESTER SPRAYING WATER ON BOY'S FACE MEMBER OF PRESS ON MOTORBIKE DRIVING AMONGST PROTESTERS WITH BOY WHO HAD TEAR GAS IN FACE ON THE BACK GENERAL VIEW OF VEHICLES WITH WATER CANON SHOOTING STREAMS AT CROWDS PROTESTERS BACKING AWAY FROM ENCROACHING VEHICLE SHOOTING WATER CANON AT CROWD OPPOSITION LEADER, HENRIQUE CAPRILES, TALKING TO MAN AMIDST PROTEST (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION LEADER, HENRIQUE CAPRILES, SAYING: "We are out on the streets because the government has closed the doors of democracy that is why we are out on the streets. There is no food, there is no medicine and on top of this he (Maduro) doesn't want people to vote. So what can people do? They do what they are doing today and what is the response (from the government)? Yesterday the defence minister said they (soldiers) had not attacked anyone. My god, here they are." GENERAL VIEW OF PROTEST SCENE WITH TEAR GAS SMOKE IN THE AIR OFFICERS SHOOTING CANISTERS INTO THE AIR CANISTER FALLS ON THE GROUND BY PROTESTERS / PROTESTER PICKS IT UP THROWS IT AWAY / EXPLOSION HEARD PROTESTER HAMMERING AT BARRIER ON OVERPASS PROTESTER HELPING ANOTHER INJURED PROTESTER GENERAL VIEW OF PROTESTERS ON THE ROAD OFFICERS ON THE BACK OF MOTORBIKES PROTESTERS RUNNING AWAY FROM WATER CANON (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, EYLIN GONZALES, SAYING: "It is the total destruction of human rights in the country, we have lost absolutely everything. The Constitution is accommodative, they (government) use the Constitution as they see fit and now it is worse, they want to eliminate (the Constitution) and put in place a constituent (assembly) where we will completely lose all of our rights." PROTESTERS GATHERED ON ONE SIDE OF ROAD PROTESTERS CARRYING MAKESHIFT SHIELDS PROTESTERS RETREATING ON HIGHWAY AS SOUND FROM TEAR GAS CANISTERS GOING OFF IS HEARD IN THE BACKGROUND PROTESTERS AMASSED ON ROAD WITH RIOT POLICE ON THE OTHER SIDE WOMAN HOLDING UP VENEZUELAN FLAG IN THE AIR DURING PROTEST MARCH CROWD OF PROTESTERS MARCHING GENERAL VIEW OF PROTESTERS MARCHING ON ROAD GENERAL VIEW OF WATER CANON ON OVERPASS SPRAYING STREAM ON PROTESTERS GATHERED BELOW GENERAL VIEW OF TEAR GAS CANISTER FALLING NEAR LINE OF PROTESTERS WITH MAKESHIFT SHIELDS / PROTESTER PICKS UP TEAR GAS CANISTER AND THROWS IT AWAY OFFICERS GATHERED UNDER SHIELDS WITH TWO OFFICERS LAUNCHING TEAR GAS CANISTERS WATER CANON USED TO BREAK LINE OF PROTESTERS BEHIND MAKESHIFT SHIELDS WATER CANON BREAKING LINE OF PROTESTERS OFFICERS GATHERED BEHIND LINE OF SHIELDS AS OTHER OFFICERS LAUNCH TEAR GAS CANISTERS VARIOUS OBJECTS USED BY PROTESTERS AS MAKESHIFT BARRIERS
  • Embargoed: 12th June 2017 21:49
  • Keywords: march protest Henrique Capriles Venezuela
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016IW5ZRB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART LIVE-U QUALITY
    Anti-government protesters in Venezuela's capital faced off with National Guard security officials on Monday (May 29), amidst a rising death tool from widespread demonstrations against leftist president Nicolas Maduro.
    The armed forces' National Guard unit has played a pivotal role in the unrest rocking Venezuela. During Monday's (May 29) protest, riot police armed with water canon and tear gas canisters tried to displace angry protesters.
    Nearly 60 people have been killed, including one National Guard member and two police officers.
    Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles joined protesters out on the street where he accused Maduro of taking away the democratic voice of citizens.
    The violent demonstrations come as President Maduro steps up plans for a vote on forming a constituent assembly that will have the power to change the constitution. But critics fear government supporters will be stacked in Maduro's favour in the assembly.
    Opposition protests in the capital have become brazen amidst rising tensions. Protesters have blockaded main roads in the capital with makeshift shields and protesters have thrown tear gas canisters back at National Guard officers.
    Although the opposition has accused soldiers of defending a dictatorship, the country's military has insisted it was not taking sides in the national political turmoil.
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