Violent clashes erupt in Caracas as controversial assembly vote looms

Record ID: 904434

  • Title: Violent clashes erupt in Caracas as controversial assembly vote looms
  • Date: 28th July 2017
  • Summary: ARMOURED VEHICLE WITH FLAMES ON THE TOP PROTESTERS AND MOLOTOV BOMB EXPLODING IN BACKGROUND NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS STANDING BEHIND SHIELDS AND NEXT TO ARMOURED VEHICLE PROTESTER WITH COVERED FACE GENERAL VIEW OF PROTESTERS CONFRONTING NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TROOPS PEERING OUT FROM TOP OF ARMOURED VEHICLE PROTESTERS FIRING MOLOTOV COCKTAIL BOMB AT TROOPS GENERAL VIEW OF CLASHES SHADOWS SEEN IN WATER PUDDLE PROTESTERS KNEELING DOWN IN STREET NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS FIRING PELLETS FROM ARMOURED VEHICLE MOLOTOV COCKTAIL BOMB BEING FIRED
  • Embargoed: 12th August 2017 00:28
  • Keywords: clashes protests Venezuela constituyent vote assembly Maduro
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA0036RMVYVB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Molotov-cocktail bomb throwing Venezuelans braved tear gas and rainstorms on Friday (July 28), violently clashing with security forces and blocking streets in protest of a legislative super-body to be elected on Sunday (July 30) that critics call a plan by President Nicolas Maduro to create a dictatorship.
    The imminent election of a constituent assembly has been broadly condemned by countries around the world as a weakening of democratic governance in the OPEC nation, which is also struggling under a crippling economic crisis.
    Opposition demonstrators said urgency was increasing as they set up barricades along main roads in the capital, Caracas, pelted by sheets of rain and tear gas canisters fired by police. Scores were arrested.
    There were fewer protesters on Friday than during a two-day national strike this week. Confrontations with security forces, which have left more than 110 dead over the last four months, were relatively modest on Friday amid tropical downpours and a government ban on demonstrations.
    Venezuelans have been protesting against Maduro to demand he respect the opposition-led congress and resolve chronic food and medicine shortages that have fuelled malnutrition and health problems.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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