Clashes erupt as Venezuelan protesters seek to oust Maduro

CARACAS: Clashes broke out between supporters and opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as opposition protesters sought to show momentum in their push to oust him in a referendum.

Sticks, stones and punches flew on the Caribbean island of Margarita as red-clad Maduro supporters tried to block opponents determined to march on the town of Villa Rosa, a photographer said.

Several protesters were wounded, said the centre-right opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), which accuses Maduro of steering Venezuela into an economic crisis marked by severe shortages of food and medicine, spiralling inflation and rampant crime.

The scuffles came as the opposition held nationwide anti-Maduro rallies, seeking to show its strength by having protesters sign largely symbolic petitions calling for him to face a recall referendum.

The rallies amounted to a dress-rehearsal for an official petition drive later this month, when the opposition will have just three days to gather the four million signatures required to force a recall vote.

That process, scheduled for Oct 26 to 28, will be overseen by electoral authorities at 1,356 designated sites across the country.

But the opposition is hoping to score a symbolic victory before then.

“If we get seven or eight million (signatures), it will send a message to Maduro that we want change now,” said Ismael Dacorte, a 51-year-old lawyer.

Maduro supporters held rival rallies of their own across the country. Addressing the main one, in Caracas, Maduro hailed the strength of his socialist “revolution”.

“Today the revolution is going on the offensive towards the years 2017, 2018 and beyond. What’s ahead for the right are dark days of collapse, defeat and division,” he said.

The speaker of the opposition-majority legislature, Henry Ramos Allup, fired back with equally strong words.

“Watch out: the people are mobilised to get rid of this band of thugs that’s looting Venezuela,” he said.

The clashes in Villa Rosa were the only immediate report of violence.

The town was also the scene of an anti-government demonstration that embarrassed Maduro in September, when he was greeted during a visit by residents banging pots and pans in protest. Some 30 people were arrested in the aftermath.