President Donald Trump ready to take 'military action', warns US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Anti-government protesters clash with security forces in Caracas. Pic/AFP
Caracas: May Day clashes between opposition supporters and Venezuela's armed forces in Caracas left a woman dead and 46 people, including a journalist, injured on Wednesday, with opposition leader Juan Guaido attempting to rally demonstrators against President Nicolas Maduro.
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Jurubith Rausseo, 27, died at a clinic after being hit by a "bullet in the head during (a) demonstration," the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict said on Twitter, condemning her "murder."
Tensions in Venezuela have soared since Guaido, who heads the National Assembly legislature, invoked the constitution to declare himself acting president on January 23, claiming Maduro's re-election last year was illegitimate.
A second day of confrontations between opposition supporters and Maduro's security services came as the United States said it was prepared to take military action, if necessary, to stem the crisis in the South American nation.
"The president has been crystal clear and incredibly consistent. Military action is possible. If that's what's required, that's what the United States will do," Pompeo told Fox Business Network.
US and Russia to discuss disagreements next week
In a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had accused Moscow of "destabilising" Venezuela. Lavrov, in turn, charged that US interference was "in flagrant violation of international law." But on Thursday, a US official said Pompeo will discuss the disagreements with Lavrov when they meet next week in Finland.
"There is nothing for workers to celebrate. We're going to remain in the streets until we achieve freedom for the Venezuelan people," Guaido said.
Venezuela has suffered five years of recession marked by shortages of basic necessities like food and medicine, as well as failing public services, including water, electricity and transport, driving millions to flee. "We're living through hell," a resident of western Caracas, Evelinda Villalobos, 58, told AFP.
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Years of recession in Venezuela
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