Unrest spreads to Venezuelan slums seen as pro-government
CARACAS, Venezuela — Protests flared Wednesday in slums that have long been bulwarks of support for Venezuela’s socialist leaders hours after a pro-government rally degenerated into heckling of President Nicolas Maduro.
Maduro was attending a rally in the poor eastern state of Bolivar Tuesday night when a crowd turned on him. The official broadcast of the event cut out, but videos circulating on social media show people throwing objects at the president’s vehicle and shouting “damn you!” A witness said people threw stones, bottles and cold water at the president, whose approval ratings have dipped below 20 per cent as the country’s economy has plummeted.
Later that night, hundreds of young men burned trash and clashed with police in scattered protests around the economically flailing country. The unrest notably included slums outside of Caracas and other cities that had long shunned any part in the near-daily protests that have embroiled middle class neighbourhoods.
“People went into the streets last night because we are very upset,” said Wilfredo Martinez, who lives in the working-class Caracas neighbourhood of La Vega. “We’re having a terrible time. We can’t find food and sick people can’t find medicine.”