CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) – A day after an alleged coup attempt in Venezuela, tensions boiled over anew on the streets of Caracas on Thursday (June 29) as youth angry at President Maduro’s upcoming constituent assembly faced off with riot police.
Thursday’s heated protest comes just one day after Maduro said the nation that is a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was the victim of a coup, feeding claims from the government that the United States government and opposition are working to overthrow Miraflores.
Critics of the government say the coup claims are part of a government setup to secure power just days ahead of a vote for the constituent assembly, a body with the power to change the country’s constitution.
The opposition fears the assembly will be stacked with government supporters to cement Maduro’s rule over the country.
Scores of protesters marched toward the National Electoral Council to denounce the constituent assembly as a fraud by the government.
But Maduro claims the vote will be the only way to secure peace in the divided nation.