Tens of thousands of Venezuelans participated in demonstrations in the capital of Caracas and around the country.
Wednesday, protests broke out throughout Venezuela with the opposition demonstrating with the hopes of having new elections and the release of jailed opposition politicians.
A student on the scene was shot and killed according to 2 Reuters reports:
Carlos Moreno, 18, a student, was on his way to play soccer in Caracas and did not plan to take part in the demonstration when government supporters approached an opposition gathering and fired shots, according to witnesses and a family member. Moreno was shot in the head, they said.
His death means six people have now been killed during protests in Venezuela this month. The opposition blames the deaths on security forces and armed pro-government supporters seeking to spook protesters.
A Venezuelan student who was shot in the head during an anti-government protest on Wednesday in Caracas has died, three security sources said.
Government officials were not immediately available to comment.
LIVE – Major Riots Break out in Venezuela https://t.co/cA50sX4ALC
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) April 19, 2017
Elections are not due until 2019, but the opposition says the country is on the verge of collapse. Inflation is expected to top 700% this year, the IMF says.
The latest crisis was triggered by last month’s Supreme Court decision to officially take over power from the opposition-controlled parliament.
The protests are the biggest in years with the massive wings of the population putting immense pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The opposition protesters are calling this protest Venezuela’s “second independence day”.
La sangre de Carlos José Moreno (17 años) está en tus manos Maduro. Cobarde. #19A #19AVzlaContraElGolpe pic.twitter.com/x6qv6ynD1G
— Alejandro Sanz (@AlejandroSanz) April 19, 2017
