Venezuelan opposition block roads, burn trucks over deaths of fellow protesters

Record ID: 896677

  • Title: Venezuelan opposition block roads, burn trucks over deaths of fellow protesters
  • Date: 23rd June 2017
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JUNE 23, 2017) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF SMOKE ABOVE BURNING TRUCK ON ROADS VARIOUS OF BURNING TRUCKS BARRICADING ROADS PROTESTERS GATHERED AROUND BURNING TRUCKS ON HIGHWAY PROTESTERS HOLDING SIGNS AND VENEZUELAN FLAGS PROTESTERS SHOUTING (IN SPANISH): "FREEDOM" AND HOLDING SIGNS READING: "350" REFERRING TO CIVIL OBEDIENCE ARTICLE IN CONSTITUTION CLOSE-UP OF PROTESTER SHOUTING (IN SPANISH): "FREEDOM" AND HOLDING SIGN READING: "350" REFERRING TO CIVIL OBEDIENCE ARTICLE IN CONSTITUTION PROTESTERS BANGING DRUM AND HOLDING SIGN READING (IN SPANISH): "FREEDOM NOW!" CLOSE-UP OF PROTESTER SHOUTING PROTESTERS SHOUTING (IN SPANISH): "FREEDOM" AND HOLDING VENEZUELAN FLAG PROTESTERS BLOCKING STREET AND SITTING ON BENCH WITH SIGNS PROTESTER READING SIGN READING (IN SPANISH): "PROTESTING IS NOT A CRIME, KILLING IS" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION LAWMAKER, JUAN REQUESENS, SAYING: "Our people responded to the call, not only because we want change, because we want to live in a democracy, but because lamentably today we are crying over another Venezuelan (who has died in the marches). We are committed to the fight, and after 84 days we are not tired, we are going forward and we remain in the fight, we continue to resist. We can do more than the violence and repression of a government which does not believe in freedom." PROTESTERS BLOCKING ROAD WITH VENEZUELAN FLAGS PROTESTER HOLDING BANNER READING (IN SPANISH): "NO MORE DEATHS" CLOSE-UP OF PROTESTER SHOUTING (IN SPANISH): "FREEDOM" PROTESTERS SHOUTING (IN SPANISH): "NO MORE DEATHS" PROTESTERS IN FRONT OF BRANCHES IN THE ROAD SHOUTING (IN SPANISH): "WHAT DO WE WANT? FREEDOM" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, ENYTH ARAICA, SAYING: "What we want is a new president. No more deaths! We want medicine, we want food, we want security. No more deaths, no more! All of those who have killed will have to pay, including all of those from the drug-trafficking government we have." PROTESTERS CHANTING CLOSE-UP OF PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (IN SPANISH): "FREEDOM NOW!" GRAFFITI ON OVERPASS READING (IN SPANISH): "CENSORSHIP IS DICTATORSHIP. ENOUGH." PROTESTERS GATHERED UNDER OVERPASS PROTESTER WITH FACE COVERED HOLDING YELLOW FLOWER GENERAL VIEW OF "THE RESISTANCE" PROTESTERS ARRIVING ON TRUCK CLOSE-UP OF PROTESTERS ARRIVING ON TRUCK PROTESTER WITH GAS MASK DRAGGING CHAIN PROTESTER CLIMBING ON TRUCK, HELICOPTER IN SKY, POSTER WITH PRESIDENT MADURO IN BACKGROUND
  • Embargoed: 7th July 2017 22:51
  • Keywords: clashes Venezuela opposition Nicolas Maduro
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016MI3687
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Venezuelan opposition protesters burnt trucks and blocked roads on Friday (June 23) repudiating the death of another protester which takes the toll to 76 after 84 days of anti-government demonstrations.
    Opposition lawmaker, Juan Requesens, said the protesters had taken to the streets again after another death and that they would not tire. He said they were capable of more than the government's violence and repression.
    David Vallenilla, 22, was shot at close range by a military police sergeant on Thursday, apparently with rubber bullets, as youths tried to pull down the fence around an air force base in Caracas and threw rocks at officials who had fired tear gas from inside.
    A group of demonstrators on Friday returned to the spot where Vallenilla was killed. They set three trucks on fire and pushed one of them against the fence of the air base, which they later partially tore down.
    Maduro's critics said the killing was further evidence of abuse by security forces after protests since April by demonstrators demanding general elections to end 18 years of socialist rule in the South American country amid a deepening economic and political crisis.
    Officials say the recent wave of street protests across Venezuela, often resulting in vandalism, have arbitrarily restricted free transit and commerce and even prevented ambulances from reaching hospitals.
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