Balls, blood and fire: 40 shocking photos of a day of fury in Venezuela

Venezuelan protesters clashed on Tuesday with troops loyal to Nicolás Maduro advancing with tanks in front of an air base in Caracas a few hours after opposition leader Juan Guaidó led a military uprising against the president. . In the clashes a young Protestant died and more than fifty people were injuredamong them a Colonel of the National Guard who was shot in the neck with a gun.

During a demonstration in the central city of La Victoria, in the state of Aragua, Samuel Méndez, 24 years old, deceasedconfirmed human rights activist Inti Rodríguez, a member of the humanitarian organization Provea. Méndez died after receiving two shots in the abdomen and spine when police cracked down on an anti-government demonstration, said Dr. Jhander Delgado.

The rebellion led by Guaidó appeared to have limited military support Although, until now, this has been the most serious challenge for the Maduro government since the opposition, backed by the US and dozens of countries, has declared itself president by interim in January after accusing the government of usurping power for reelection in elections considered fraudulent.

Video | Juan Guaidó called to continue "Operation Libertad" Wednesday

The Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino López, announced that a "party" of the uprising "had been defeated" and that "almost all" the military and the revolting police retreated to a square in the east of Caracas. In providing details of the uprising, he said that a "small group" of soldiers and policemen had removed vehicles and weapons from the National Guard and had settled nearby a police station. highway near the air base.

The military leader said that "80%" of those who participated in the uprising "were cheated" by an opposition leadership called "coup d'état" and "savage" and considered the uprising as a "coup d'état attempt of a very large scale". insignificant. "He claimed that all military units remain in full normalcy.

The United States says that Maduro had a plane to go to Cuba and that Russia ordered him to stay

For his part, Maduro said in a brief message on Twitter that he had met with the leaders of the regional commandos, who expressed "his total loyalty to the people, the constitution and the country" and called "the popular mobilization peace minister "In parallel, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jorge Arreaza, said that Maduro "is at his command post". "There is no concern," he said.

In front of thousands of followers, Guaidó launched a new call to the army for him to join the uprising and said that he would stay there until the overthrow of Maduro. . "It is clear to us today that the armed forces are with the people of Venezuela and not with the dictator," he said. The night He added that the protests will continue on Wednesday, May 1st..

S.D.