CARACAS, Venezuela – AFTER Saturday’s (Jan. 16) order by President Hugo Chavez that police should use tear gas on anti-government protesters, several Venezuelans have fallen victims to this treatment.
According to Caribbean Net News, unknown assailants threw tear gas canisters at the Vatican’s Embassy in Caracas and at the house of an anti-government media mogul, and set fire to a student leader’s sport utility vehicle.
Caracas’ opposition mayor stated that the assailants also forced their way into city hall and interrupted a student news conference that was being broadcast live on television.
However, the government has claimed that the string of attacks was organised by the opposition in collaboration with Globovision television station to portray a negative image of the government.
Chavez issued the provocative statement in response to last week’s actions by student protesters, who threw stones at police, blocked a highway and were accused of setting fire to a national park.
The students were opposed to Chavez’s support of a constitutional referendum that would allow the President to seek re-election indefinitely. A similar proposal was defeated in 2007.
Venezuela News