- Title: Injured violinist tweets from hospital bed following violent clashes in Caracas
- Date: 23rd July 2017
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SHIELDS PROTECTING ARTEAGA VARIOUS OF ARTEAGA PLAYING VIOLIN DURING PROTEST GENERAL VIEW OF PROTEST
- Embargoed: 6th August 2017 02:44
- Keywords: Arteaga violinist Wuilly twitter injured clashes Venezuela protest
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA / INTERNET
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA / INTERNET
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA0036QXSQX3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A violinist who has become one of the best-known faces of protests against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was injured on Saturday (July 22) in violent clashes in Caracas.
Wuilly Arteaga, along with several others, was injured during clashes with National Guard troops. The 23-year-old has become famous in Venezuela for playing the national anthem and other tunes on his violin in front of security lines as battles rage around him.
Paramedics tended to Arteaga in the street as blood poured down his face. He later tweeted a video from the hospital with a bandaged face and clutching his violin.
"Neither rubber bullets nor pellets or smashing up my violin, because we'll continue in the fight. Whatever happens, we'll continue in the struggle for Venezuela. Thank you," said Arteaga. He then vowed to be back in the streets.
The opposition coalition and a self-styled, youth-led "Resistance" movement launched protests in early April against Maduro, whom they accuse of turning the country into a dictatorship and wrecking what should be a prosperous economy.
Maduro calls demonstrators "terrorists" seeking a coup with the support of the United States and the international media. Some 100 people have died in the unrest since April, including five during a national strike on Thursday (July 20).
Thousands more have also been injured and hundreds arrested. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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