- Title: Venezuelan protesters face off with police as anti-government strike intensifies
- Date: 20th July 2017
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JULY 20, 2017) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS WEARING GAS MASKS, HELMETS RUNNING AWAY AS ARMED RIOT POLICE ADVANCED ON THEM AND SHOOT TEAR GAS CANISTERS PROTESTERS GATHERED ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH OFFICERS ON OTHER SIDE LAUNCHING TEAR GAS CANISTERS TOWARDS PROTESTERS PROTESTERS GATHERED AROUND MAKESHIFT BARRICADE WITH SMOKE FROM TEAR GAS IN THE AIR / PROTESTER THROWING TEAR GAS CANISTER BACK TO RIOT POLICE MASKED PROTESTERS ON ROAD WITH TEAR GAS SMOKE IN THE AIR MASKED PROTESTERS RUNNING ON ROAD WITH BANGS FROM TEAR GAS CANISTERS BEING SHOT HEARD OFFICER SHOOTING TEAR GAS CANISTER TOWARDS PROTESTERS PARAMEDIC CHECKING MASKED PROTESTER'S CHEST FOR INJURY PROTESTERS IN MASKS AND CARRYING MAKESHIFT SHIELDS ON ROAD WITH SOUND OF TEAR GAS CANISTERS BEING SHOT IN THE BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: "We will continue until they (government) go. They need to go, they have ruined us, there are killing us with hunger. There is a shortage of medicines and people are dying, youth have no future. They have to go, we don't want negotiations, we don't want anything." PROTESTERS THROWING OBJECTS TOWARDS POLICE TEAR GAS CANISTER SHOT AT GROUP OF PROTESTERS PROTESTER AFFECTED BY TEAR GAS BEING HELPED BY FELLOW DEMONSTRATOR PROTESTERS WITH THEIR FACES COVERED, WEARING GAS MASKS RUNNING ON ROAD PROTESTERS GATHERED ON THE ROAD OFFICERS IN THEIR POSITIONS FIRING CANISTERS PROTESTERS HUDDLED TOGETHER TO PROTECT AGAINST TEAR GAS CANISTERS BEING FIRED (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, KAREN PINTO, SAYING: "We are protesting about everything, about health, about insecurity, because nobody wants (President Nicolas) Maduro, or (government lawmaker) Diosdado (Cabello), (Communications Minister) Ernesto Villegas, (Caracas Mayor) Jorge Rodriguez, none of them. Everyone knows that they are all thieves." PROTESTERS GATHERED BEHIND MAKESHIFT SHIELDS PROTESTERS GATHERED AROUND MAKESHIFT BARRICADE MADE FROM FALLEN STREET SIGN AND DEBRIS TEAR GAS CANISTERS BEING FIRED THROUGH AIR TOWARDS PROTESTERS TACHIRA, VENEZUELA (JULY 20, 2017) (REUTERS) MASKED PROTESTER FIRING HOMEMADE WEAPON PROTESTERS IN MIDDLE OF ROAD DODGING TEAR GAS CANISTERS FIRED BY OFFICERS FURTHER DOWN ROAD PROTESTERS IN MIDDLE OF ROAD WITH SOUND OF TEAR GAS CANISTERS HEARD IN THE BACKGROUND DOG SITTING BY BARRICADE, YOUTH BY BARRICADE YOUNG MAN AND ELDERLY WOMAN MOVING LARGE BRANCH TOGETHER TO ADD TO BARICADE ELDERLY MAN CROUCHING UNDER ROPE STRUNG ACROSS STREET AS PART OF BARRICADE / ANTI-GOVERNMENT GRAFFITI ON WALL LOCALS HOLDING UP ROPE FORMING PART OF BARRICADE TO ALLOW CAR TO PASS UNDER HOODED PROTESTER BANGING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT ON STREET GRILLS FROM DRAIN LIFTED AS PART OF BARRICADE GRILLS FROM DRAIN CEMENTED ONTO MIDDLE OF ROAD FOR MAKESHIFT BARRICADE MASKED PROTESTERS FIRING HANDMADE WEAPONS IN THE AIR (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: "We are defending this place. We will go to homes to get freedom. We will meet on the streets as peacefully as possible until the fall of the dictator Nicolas Maduro. We will not rest until we get our freedom. We are a group of youth that want freedom." MASKED PROTESTERS PUMPING FISTS IN THE AIR PROTESTER PREPARING MOLOTOV COCKTAILS PROTESTER FILLING BOTTLE WITH MIXTURE FOR MOLOTOV COCKTAILS FIRE IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BUSINESS OWNER WHOSE SHOP WAS LOOTED, HENRY SANDIA, SAYING: "15 armed men came and attacked business, and mine was among (those affected). It (business) was open, it was looted and burnt by people who arrived at that time." DAMAGE TO ROLLER SHUTTERS AT BUSINESSES BUSINESS OWNER OPENING UP SHUTTER AT BUSINESS EMPTY SHELVES IN LOOTED BUSINESS DAMAGED ITEMS OF BUSINESS MORE OF EMPTY SHELVES IN LOOTED BUSINESS
- Embargoed: 4th August 2017 00:15
- Keywords: Caracas national unity government anti-Maduro protest Constituent Government strike National Assembly Venezuela clashes riot police
- Location: CARACAS AND TACHIRA, VENEZUELA
- City: CARACAS AND TACHIRA, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016QIXQ2V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tensions spilled over in the streets of Venezuela on Thursday (July 20) during a strike called by foes of President Nicolas Maduro to demand elections and the scrapping of plans for a new congress they fear would consolidate dictatorship in the OPEC country.
In the capital Caracas, police fired tear gas at masked protester blockading streets during a 24-hour shutdown in the capital. Amidst widespread food and medical shortages, three-digit inflation and a flailing economy, protesters are seeking to raise the stakes in a popular movement against the Maduro government. According to a local rights group, more than 170 people were arrested by late afternoon during the strike.
In the state of Tachira, battle lines were drawn with anti-government protesters setting out makeshift barricades to defend against members of the National Guard acting on orders of the government. Businesses in the restive state have also been looted during the strike movement. Authorities have blamed protesters for the attacks on businesses but the opposition has accused the government of sending in supporters to taint government critics.
Violence during four months of anti-government unrest has taken around 100 lives, injured thousands, left hundreds in jail and further damaged an economy in its fourth year of a debilitating decline.
The heated scenes comes days before an election for a Constituent Assembly with powers to change the constitution. Government critics see the move as a way to cement President Nicolas Maduro's power in government. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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