CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s opposition launched a new protest campaign today to oust President Nicolas Maduro, but support was thin and the ruling Socialists countered it with their own “anti-imperialist” rally.
Though thousands on both sides took to the streets of Caracas, neither march recalled the passionate rallies of recent years here, with many Venezuelans exhausted by an economic and social crisis that seemed to be worsening.
The opposition alliance has begun a multi-pronged push to oust Maduro via protests, a recall referendum or a constitutional amendment to cut his term.
Buoyed by a December win in legislative elections, they hope to capitalize on anger over a deep recession, triple-digit inflation and rampant insecurity.
“Venezuela is in chaos. They promise and promise and nothing: more misery, more crime and more destruction,” said Ruth Briceno, 35, a law student in the wealthy district of Chacao, who was among a couple of thousand opposition supporters.
“We can’t get food for our children. … We need Maduro to resign this year.”
Two years ago, the opposition mobilized tens of thousands of people in nationwide protests. For weeks, Venezuela’s streets were filled with tear gas and burning trash.
Similar protests have begun in the fiery western city of San Cristobal, though they have yet to hit the capital.
On the other side of Caracas, red-clad supporters came out for the government in protest against US President Barack Obama’s renewing of a decree sanctioning several top Venezuelan officials. Maduro pulled Venezuela’s top diplomat back from Washington in protest earlier this week.
“We’re here to defeat Obama’s decree. It’s stupid,” said Raiza Sucre, a 50-year-old government worker, who arrived on a government-funded bus at 5 am for the rally that also drew several thousand protesters.
She said US greed for oil was a threat to Venezuela, which obtains 94 per cent of export revenue from crude and has suffered heavily from the price drop.
