- Title: Anti-Maduro strike paralyzes swathes of Venezuela
- Date: 20th July 2017
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JULY 20, 2017) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF EMPTY STREET AS STRIKE BEGINS PEOPLE IN THE STREET BOY ATTENDING TO BARRICADE IN STREET GENERAL VIEW OF BARRICADE VARIOUS OF PIECES OF PAPER BEING THROWN INTO THE AIR BY ROADBLOCK STOREFRONTS SHUTTERED AND LOCKED DUE TO STRIKE PEOPLE WALKING PAST SHUTTERED STOREFRONTS LOCK ON STOREFRONT PEOPLE WALKING UNDER A PIECE OF ROPE THAT IS BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER, JOSE SUZARRA, SAYING: "To summon this type of strike, to put out these kinds of roadblocks, we see - we who are affected - for us, we will mobilize to go to work, to the places where we have to go, to the doctor, we have to buy food, so we have to walk blocks and blocks and blocks to arrive at our destination. Those of us who are going out are affected, the government is not going out and being affected. The ones who are going out are affected, that is the people." PEOPLE WALKING UNDER ROPE THAT IS BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK PEOPLE STANDING BEHIND ROPE BLOCKING THE SIDEWALK PERSON IN STREET STANDING AMID ROADBLOCK ROPES AND PULLING OUT DEBRIS TO SET UP ROADBLOCK GENERAL VIEW OF EMPTY STREET PERSON PUTTING DEBRIS IN ROAD FOR ROADBLOCK PEOPLE IN THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CARACAS RESIDENT, LEONARDO FARFAN, SAYING: "There isn't much normality because there are workers that are working and there are some that joined the strike. Public transport isn't working but the metro is working 100 percent." BUS BLOCKING THE STREET PERSON SHUTTING COMPARTMENT ON BUS BUS BLOCKING THE STREET PEOPLE IN FRONT OF SHUTTERED STOREFRONT PEOPLE WALKING UNDER ROPE BARRICADE PEOPLE GATHERED ON SIDEWALK GENERAL VIEW OF EMPTY STREET
- Embargoed: 3rd August 2017 15:16
- Keywords: Nicolas Maduro opposition 24-hour national strike shutdown
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016QIW0G7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Many Venezuelan streets were deserted and barricaded on Thursday (July 20) for a strike called by foes of President Nicolas Maduro to demand a presidential election and the abandonment of a plan for a new congress they fear would institute a dictatorship.
Many businesses were staying shut as the opposition organized a 24-hour national shutdown from 6 a.m. in a civil disobedience campaign they are dubbing "zero hour" to try to end nearly two decades of Socialist Party rule
Many private transport groups heeded the strike call, while students, neighbors and activists hauled rubbish and furniture into streets to form barriers. Many families were keeping children behind doors in case of trouble. Leaders of Venezuela's 2.8 million public employees said state businesses and ministries would remain open, and there was a trickle of workers on the street.
Four months of anti-government unrest have killed about 100 people, injured thousands and left hundreds in jail. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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