CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuelans began a week-long national holiday yesterday as some protests still simmered, but President Nicolas Maduro’s government was hoping the break would take the heat out of the nation’s worst unrest in a decade.
The 51-year-old successor to Hugo Chavez brought forward by two days a long national holiday weekend for Carnival when Venezuelans traditionally abandon cities and head for Caribbean coast beaches to unwind and party.
There will be another day off for the March 5 anniversary of Chavez’s death from cancer, meaning a week-long break that officials hope will dampen student-led street protests.
In the capital Caracas, which has seen most of the at least 13 fatalities from this month’s unrest, opposition supporters gathered in wealthy eastern neighborhoods.
In familiar scenes from the last two weeks, when one group of demonstrators tried to block a major six-lane highway that runs nearby, security forces fired teargas to disperse them.
“We love a long weekend, but things have changed … we’re tired of the shortages, the delinquency, the abuse,” said 40-year-old travel agent Jennifer Diaz. “They can declare holidays all year long, but we’re going to stay in the streets.”
In the city center, red-clad Maduro supporters rallied in remembrance of deadly price riots 25 years ago, which the president says helped propel Chavez to power a decade later.
The students want Maduro to quit over grievances ranging from high inflation and shocking crime rates to shortages of basic food and alleged repression of political rivals.
Though they have presented the biggest challenge to his 10-month-old administration and the worst unrest since street rallies against Chavez a decade ago, there is no sign Maduro could be ousted. (For full coverage, click: )
