Gunshot wounds, the cause of death of the 26 people who died during the demonstrations

The non-governmental organization Observatory of Social Conflicts (OVCS) announced today that the 26 dead who, according to their testimony, had left the anti-government protests of the last hours had been shot in the midst of the skirmishes. According to the records of the OVCS, to which Efe had access, the age of the victims is between 18 and 47 years old, whereas this list is composed of 24 men and 2 women.

According to the NGO, these people lost their lives in the context of anti-government demonstrations, including six in violent scenarios involving looting or attempted private property infringement. The other 20 victims participated in peaceful demonstrations including street courts or demonstrations calling for the serious national economic crisis.

As for the places where these citizens died, they are distributed as follows: seven in Caracas, five in Bolivar, two in Amazonia, three in Táchira, three in Barinas, three in Portuguesa, two in Monagas and one in Yaracuy. "All were wounded by bullets," says the NGO in its report.

The Observatory also counted about 200 nighttime demonstrations this week and just last night it was reported that in 33 regions of Caracas, hundreds of people were ringing pots from their home, a popular form of anti-government protest in the Caribbean country. The protests take place in the context of the anti-Chavez ignorance of the new six-year term that Nicolás Maduro swore two weeks ago in the Supreme Court, following the victory of the leader of Chavez at the same time. 39 a vote deemed fraudulent and to which the thick of the opposition.

The inmates

On the other hand, the non-governmental organization Penal Forum, which defends those considered as "political prisoners" in Venezuela, today estimated 369 arrests this week in anti-government protests triggered, especially in poor areas. "Since January 21, we are talking about 369 arrests for protests," NGO director Alfredo Romero told reporters, saying that last Wednesday was one of the days when the arrests been the most numerous.

Only that day, when hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans demonstrated throughout the country to identify the head of state as illegitimate, Nicolás Maduro – 328 were arrested by security forces. Romero explained that yesterday "they continued to produce arrests" that the Forum checks, so they estimate that the total exceeds 400 in the coming hours. He pointed out that the 369 persons arrested had been identified by name, that this list did not include persons arrested for committing crimes or acts of vandalism, and that the NGO would legally represent the majority of these persons. .

According to information presented by the lawyer, the state of Zulia (west, bordering Colombia) is leading cases of arrests with 85 people, followed by Aragua (north) with 63 people and Monagas (east) with 45 people. He added that the arrests first took place in "Enforced Disappearances" and that state security agencies are carrying out searches and arrests in residential areas without a warrant. The crimes attributed to the detainees are "terrorism, incitement to hatred, disruption of public order and disrespect for authority," according to an NGO report. The non-governmental organization Observatorio Venezolano de Conflictividad Social (OVCS) reported yesterday that the total number of deaths in the midst of the demonstrations had reached 26.