Anti-Maduro protesters take to the streets again

The opposition is demanding that elections be held to improve the country's deteriorated economy.

Demonstrators run away from tear gas during clashes with police while rallying against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela on April 20.
TRT World and Agencies

Demonstrators run away from tear gas during clashes with police while rallying against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela on April 20.

A day after three people were killed in demonstrations, scores of Venezuela's opposition supporters took to the streets again on Thursday to pressure President Nicolas Maduro's government to hold elections and improve a collapsing economy.

The renewed wave of protests comes after a move by the Supreme Court in March to assume the powers of the opposition-led Congress, which was reversed a few days later.

TRT World spoke to Caracas-based journalist Juan Carlos Lamas.

The tensions in the country have raised after the government barred the opposition's best-known leader, two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, from holding public office.

The wife of jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, Lilian Tintori, joined protesters urging authorities to put down their weapons.

But government officials have dismissed the protests as violent and lawless efforts to overthrow the government with the backing of ideological adversaries in Washington.

Reuters

People demonstrate against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, April 20, 2017.

The opposition says Maduro is seeking to stay in power indefinitely by barring opposition leaders from office and quashing independent state institutions.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado says Maduro had turned the country in a mafia state.

Government critics allege that the National Guard have used heavy-handed tactics after eight people were killed during protests.

The push to keep up constant demonstrations increasingly mirrors protests in 2014 in which Maduro's critics barricaded streets and battled police for close to three months.

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