Opposition members barricade streets during controversial election

Record ID: 904636

  • Title: Opposition members barricade streets during controversial election
  • Date: 30th July 2017
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JULY 30, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF VENEZUELAN SECURITY FORCES PATROLLING STREETS ON MOTORCYCLES WITH TEAR GAS SWIRLING IN THE STREET SECURITY FORCES PATROLLING STREETS ON MOTORCYLCES RIDING BY LOCAL PARK FREQUENTED BY RESIDENTS OFFICER INSPECTS PLASTIC BAG ON FOOTPATH AS OTHER OFFICERS ON MOTORCYCLES LOOK ON OFFICERS ON MOTORCYCLES RIDING ON EMPTY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION FIGURE, MARIA CORINA, SAYING: "This is the spirit of Venezuela, a spirit which cannot be broken, a spirit which can be seen today. And I will say it clearly, today we seal the dictatorship's fall. Today we seal the fracture and the breaking of this dictatorship. Today we are seeing that the last thing this dictatorship might have had was some sort of legitimacy, it just lost that." PEOPLE HELPING A PREGNANT WOMAN AS SHE FEELS THE AFFECTS OF TEAR GAS CLOSE-UP OF WOMAN´S FACE PARAMEDICS LIFTING THE WOMAN UP OFF THE GROUND PROTESTERS STANDING NEAR ROADBLOCK MADE OF TRASH, TREE AND DEBRIS PROTESTER ADDING BRICK TO ROADBLOCK MAN ADDING LOG TO ROADBLOCK (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION LAWMAKER, JOSE OLIVARES, SAYING: "They are lowlife criminals. That's why they've stuck around… to steal, to defend hunger, hate and repression, to defend the poverty we have in Venezuela right now. We say again to Venezuela and to the world; they can hurt us, they can break us and they can even leave some of our dead bodies, but they will never make us obedient. We will never recognize him. This fight won't end until we get rid of Nicolas Maduro." PROTESTERS CARRYING LARGE TREE BRANCH TOGETHER TO ADD ONTO ROADBLOCK PROTESTERS ADDING TO ROADBLOCK NATIONAL GUARD STANDING BY WITH SHIELDS WOMAN USING A VENEZUELAN FLAG TO COVER HER FACE PROTESTERS STANDING BEHIND ROADBLOCK VARIOUS OF MAN DRAGGING BAG TO ROADBLOCK WHERE PROTESTERS ARE STANDING EXTERIOR OF A VOTING CENTRE WITH PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE PEOPLE WAITING IN LINE VENEZUELAN DEFENCE MINISTER, VLADIMIR PADRINO, GREETING PEOPLE OUTSIDE VOTING CENTRE AND HUGGING ELDERLY LADY SOLDIER STANDING OUTSIDE VOTING CENTRE PADRINO WALKING INTO VOTING CENTRE AND GREETING PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DEFENCE MINISTER, VLADIMIR PADRINO, SAYING: "We've seen good results so far, very good. The people are taking action, the people are turning out in massive numbers at the voting centres and I should let them know, their safety is secured." PADRINO LEAVING THE VOTING CENTRE AND GREETING PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE GENERAL OF EMPTY ROAD WITH ROADBLOCK ACROSS IT VARIOUS OF BRICKS MAKING UP PART OF ROADBLOCK OLD PIECE OF FURNITURE, LARGE ROCKS USED IN ROADBLOCK CARS DRIVING ON ROAD NATIONAL GUARD OFFICER STANDINGNB BY OFFICIAL VEHICLE AT BRIDGE PROTESTER DRAGGING WHITEGOOD TO BLOCK ROAD / CAR APPROACHING ROAD IS WAVED AWAY BY PROTESTER PROTESTERS LIFTING UP BARRICADE TO ALLOW CAR TO PASS ROAD CAR DOING U-TURN AS IT APPROACHES BARRICADE DEBRIS ON ROAD AS PART OF BARRICADE CARS TURNING AROUND AS THEY APPROACH ROADBLOCK PROTESTER WITH BAT IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
  • Embargoed: 13th August 2017 20:50
  • Keywords: constituent assembly tear gas barricades unrest
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016RWS3EV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Protesters clashed with security forces on Sunday (July 30) as Venezuelans broadly boycotted an election for a constitutional super-body that unpopular leftist President Nicolas Maduro vowed would begin a "new era of combat" in the crisis-stricken nation.
    Maduro, widely disliked for overseeing an economic collapse during four years in office, has pressed ahead with the vote to create the all-powerful assembly despite the threat of U.S. sanctions and months of opposition protests in which more than 115 people have been killed.
    Security was high with national forces patrolling the streets on motorbike and on foot as demonstrators created roadblocks around the capital city of Caracas and other cities throughout the country.
    Opposition parties are sitting out what they call a rigged election, leaving streets mostly deserted and polling stations largely empty and dealing a blow to the legitimacy of the vote.
    However, Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said turnout was high and said voters should not be afraid to come out and cast their ballots.
    This, despite scuffles breaking out between security forces and hooded demonstrators in different parts of the country and a bomb explosion that injured a group of police officers in Caracas.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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