U.S. President Barack Obama has condemned the growing violence toward protests in Venezuela. The country has been suffering unprecedented turmoil for the past couple of weeks which has, so far, cost the lives of five people and injured 60 others.
Tensions in Venezuela have risen to an alarming point, as students take to the streets to push back against the rising cost of life in the country, scarcity, and the lack of respect for human rights. What started out as a student protest against the lack of security in various states of the country unleashed a series of other protests, in which various political parties got involved. The epicenter of the protests began in the state of Tachira, in which students were asking for better security measures in both Tachira and the state of Merida, which lead to unrest and arrests for public disorder.
Devastating images of violence against protestors in Venezuela, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, have been going viral on the internet. Among them is a picture of one of the victims, Genesis Carmona (WARNING: somewhat graphic image), a 21 year old student and 2013 Miss Tourism of the state of Carabobo, that some are now calling Miss anti-Maduro. The young model died on February 19th after suffering a gunshot wound to the head in a protest march.
Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez turned himself on February 19th, after President Nicolas Maduro accused Lopez of being responsible for the violent protests that begun last week. The politician has been wanted by the national police since February 12th, when the protests in front of the Procura turned to violent clashes in which two protesters died. Lopez had called supporters onto the streets to demonstrate against the socialist government, and the protests remained peaceful until gunfire broke out. The opposition leader will remain in jail until the beginning of his trial, as was decided by the Venezuelan tribunal that examined his case in the military detention center Ramo Verde a Los Teques, in the periphery of Caracas.
The situation is becoming extremely worrying, which is why Barack Obama has directly asked Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to release all the protesters who have been incarcerated since the outbreak of the protests. Obama condemned the violence, and asked the Venezuelan Government to begin a process of peace talks in order to resolve the situation.
Photo: An anti-government protester holds up a national flag during a demonstration in the Altamira neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, on February 19, 2014. (Photo by Cristian Hernandez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
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Photo Friday: Obama Asks Maduro to Stabilize Protests in Venezuela
February 21, 2014
U.S. President Barack Obama has condemned the growing violence toward protests in Venezuela. The country has been suffering unprecedented turmoil for the past couple of weeks which has, so far, cost the lives of five people and injured 60 others.
Tensions in Venezuela have risen to an alarming point, as students take to the streets to push back against the rising cost of life in the country, scarcity, and the lack of respect for human rights. What started out as a student protest against the lack of security in various states of the country unleashed a series of other protests, in which various political parties got involved. The epicenter of the protests began in the state of Tachira, in which students were asking for better security measures in both Tachira and the state of Merida, which lead to unrest and arrests for public disorder.
Devastating images of violence against protestors in Venezuela, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, have been going viral on the internet. Among them is a picture of one of the victims, Genesis Carmona (WARNING: somewhat graphic image), a 21 year old student and 2013 Miss Tourism of the state of Carabobo, that some are now calling Miss anti-Maduro. The young model died on February 19th after suffering a gunshot wound to the head in a protest march.
Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez turned himself on February 19th, after President Nicolas Maduro accused Lopez of being responsible for the violent protests that begun last week. The politician has been wanted by the national police since February 12th, when the protests in front of the Procura turned to violent clashes in which two protesters died. Lopez had called supporters onto the streets to demonstrate against the socialist government, and the protests remained peaceful until gunfire broke out. The opposition leader will remain in jail until the beginning of his trial, as was decided by the Venezuelan tribunal that examined his case in the military detention center Ramo Verde a Los Teques, in the periphery of Caracas.
The situation is becoming extremely worrying, which is why Barack Obama has directly asked Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to release all the protesters who have been incarcerated since the outbreak of the protests. Obama condemned the violence, and asked the Venezuelan Government to begin a process of peace talks in order to resolve the situation.
Photo: An anti-government protester holds up a national flag during a demonstration in the Altamira neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, on February 19, 2014. (Photo by Cristian Hernandez/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
