Venezuelans in shock over protest deaths
[USATODAY] Burnt trash lay in the streets Thursday, the morning after the largest protests yet against the government of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro.
Signage from a government ministry lay strewn on the ground, having been broken and burned the night before in demonstrations by thousands of Venezuelans that left three people dead.
The violence caps two weeks of protests around the country, with both the government and opposition leaders pointed fingers at each other. Both sides also said they would be back in the streets this weekend.
"They both blame each other," said Wilson Ordóñez, 45, as he pointed to debris in a Caracas square.
"It's the same as ever," added Carmen Perdomo , 61, a local professional. "It's the government that has to show a good example. They don't, yet blame everybody else."
Maduro led his own counter-rally during the protests, which were held to complain about the government's state-controlled economic policies that have led to chronic shortages of basic goods.
Posted by: Fred 2014-02-13 |