Venezuelans tell President Maduro to leave

A woman with a sign reading "We starve" protests in front of a line of riot policemen in Caracas on May 18, 2016 against new emergency powers decreed by President Nicolas Maduro. PHOTO |AFP | FEDERICO PARRA

What you need to know:

  • President threatens to unleash the military on those demanding that he steps down.

CARACAS, Thursday

Venezuelan protesters have demanded a referendum on ousting President Nicolas Maduro despite police firing tear gas canisters and a state of emergency the Opposition has called unconstitutional.

But Maduro warned that if anti-government acts turned violent “I will not hesitate” to ratchet up the extraordinary measures in force, “to fight for the peace and security of this country”.

The Opposition organised the demos in Caracas and two dozen other cities and towns to press for a recall referendum against Maduro this year.

More than 1.8 million signatures calling for the vote have been gathered on a petition that was handed to the National Electoral Council (CNE) two weeks ago.

Police and soldiers using tear gas and pepper spray blocked around 1,000 demonstrators from marching on the CNE headquarters.

Some of the protesters threw rocks and bottles at the officers barricading them in.

CROWD YELLED

“Recall! Recall! Maduro Out!” the crowd yelled, holding aloft anti-government placards and Venezuelan flags.

Incidents were reported during demonstrations in five states. Thirty people were arrested, the Opposition and non-governmental organisations said.

The protests were the first since the 60-day state of emergency the unpopular Maduro imposed this week that gives broad powers to security forces to maintain public order.

The order gives broad powers to the government, military and police to ignore constitutional protections and tackle what Maduro has said are threats to domestic and external security, and critical shortages of food and energy.

The only visible effects so far have been the diversion of some scarce food for handout to poor citizens, and greater vigilance by security forces.

But Maduro said he had scope to take the state of emergency further, implying that he could impose greater military control over the population to put down any more challenge to his authority.