Tear gas and water cannons were fired during an anti-government protest in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, on Wednesday, April 26.
This video captures the dramatic scene.A journalist at the scene said the National Guard (GNB) deployed tear gas without warning, even after opposition leaders made attempts to speak to police and negotiate passage for the marchers.
Venezuelan opposition leaders also said security forces launched tear gas at protesters in front of an elementary school in Caracas on Wednesday, impacting children there.
Wednesday’s protests were part of ongoing demonstrations against President Nicholas Maduro and his administration, whom the opposition say is trying to evade new elections amid a severe economic crisis. Recent protests have led to more than 20 deaths, prompting accusations of police brutality and violent protest suppression tactics by the National Guard. Credit: José Aurrecoechea via Storyful