Thousands in Venezuela joined in protests urging for the ousting of President Nicolas Maduro, in what seems to be the greatest display of public frustration with the country’s economic crisis and its leadership this year.
The march, staged in the county’s capital city of Caracas, was dubbed “the taking of Caracas,” and was organized by political opponents of the country’s ruling leftists. The marchers took over a major highway and several avenues in Caracas, pouring into the city’s plazas in an effort to gain momentum for a referendum to remove Mr. Maduro from office.
Some of the protesters traveled for hours from parts of Venezuela where they said they could no longer find enough food to feed themselves and their families. Others said they could not find work, or that their cities were plagued by violence with no government intervention.
Protesters said they had enough of the policies of the governing United Socialist Party of Venezuela. With the majority donned in white, they chanted “we are going to bring down Maduro”.
“We are going to defeat hunger, crime, inflation and corruption. They’ve done nothing in 17 years. Their time is finished,” Naty Gutierrez, one of the protesters, stated.
In reprisal, Mr. Maduro called on his supporters to take to the streets in a counter protest. His urging drew out crowds dressed in red, the color of former President Hugo Chávez’s leftist movement.
“The nation has triumphed. They wanted to intimidate the people but the people are here,” said Mr. Maduro at a rally in central Caracas that he claims was attended by 30,000 people. “We have defeated an attempted coup that tried to fill Venezuela and Caracas with violence, death,” he said.
Encouraged by the rallies in Caracas on Thursday, the opposition coalition is planning more marches on September 7, demanding a plebiscite against President Nicolas Maduro this year.
If a referendum should go against the president before the 10th of January, new elections will be held, which the opposition can hope to win. But, if it occurs after that date, and Mr. Maduro is recalled, his loyal vice president will serve out the end of his term until 2019.
