TODAY VENEZUELA – Anti-Maduro protests surge in Caracas as members from the 34-nation Organization of American States (OAS) bloc meet in Washington DC to discuss the crisis.
Venezuelan security forces used water cannons and teargas to disperse tens of thousands of opposition protesters heading toward the foreign ministry on Wednesday as the OAS held another meeting.
At least 60 people have been killed during protests in the past two months.
The opposition has vowed to continue their daily marches until President Nicolas Maduro resigns and fresh elections are held.
Venezuela is also in the midst of an economic crisis, marked by spiralling inflation and widespread shortages.
TRT World spoke to journalist Juan Carlos Lamas in Caracas who explains how that’s spurring on the protesters.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXE973WBfdM]
With international pressure mounting on Maduro, foreign ministers from the 34-nation OAS bloc were meeting in Washington DC on Wednesday to debate the situation in Venezuela.
When that meeting was announced last month, Venezuela said it was withdrawing from the OAS in protest.
Maduro, 54, accuses opponents of seeking his violent overthrow with US support, similar to a short-lived 2002 coup against his popular predecessor Hugo Chavez.
He has called for the creation of a super-body, or constituent assembly, with powers to rewrite the constitution, in voting set for the end of July.
Source: TRTWorld
Article originally appeared on Today Venezuela and is republished here with permission.
