Venezuela Marks One Month Of Deadly Violence

The risk of the May Day protest being violent in Venezuela is on the high side as the country marks one month since deadly clashes erupted in a political crisis with no end in sight.

Protesters took to the streets from April 1 to demand elections after the courts tried to strengthen President Nicolas Maduro’s grip on power.

Marches in various cities erupted into clashes between riot police and protesters which have since left 28 people dead, according to public prosecutors.

“We are not going to cool down the street,” said senior opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara, however.

“On May 1 we must show our strength, that we are in the majority and that we want to have our say in elections.”

The opposition has accused Maduro of installing a dictatorship.

It blames him for an economic crisis that has sparked food and medicine shortages in the major oil-exporting nation.

Even residents of traditionally pro-Maduro districts have been joining in the protests against him in recent days.

“I have been a month now joining in all the protests because I want my country to be free of this dictatorship,” said Yoleida Viloria, 42, a hairdresser from the poor neighborhood of Petare in eastern Caracas.