Anti-government protests continued in Venezuela over the weekend and so did the government crackdown against them. Police raided Altamira Square in Caracas, using tear gas and water cannons to push back protesters.
Unconfirmed video shot yesterday shows a group of policemen on motorcycles rounding up protesters in the street. One policeman can be seen using his metal helmet as a club against a protester on the ground.
Last month video of a similar incident surfaced showing police holding a woman on the ground and beating her in the face with a helmet. After the victim was released from jail she told her story to Columbia’s NTN24 News.
This Reuters video gives a visual overview of the conflict that took place Sunday including images of the water cannons and tear gas. Near the end of this clip a student protester is seen flashing a “V” sign as he is driven away by police on a motorcycle:
Protests against the socialist government have now been going on for five weeks. Protesters are motivated by the high murder rate, the constant shortages of basic goods such as milk and flour, and the arrests and beatings of protesters.
The official inflation rate in Venezuela was 56 percent last year. Last week the International Air Transportation Association warned that carriers could pull out of Venezuela if they are not paid the $3.7 billion in dollars they are owed by the government.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.