At least three people have been killed and dozens were injured in Venezuela on Wednesday during protests against the unpopular leftist President Nicolas Maduro, increasing turmoil in the volatile nation amid a devastating economic crisis. The opposition has dubbed the mass anti-government demonstration as "the mother of all marches".
A 17-year-old boy was fatally shot in the head in a neighbourhood of Caracas, while several hours later a woman was killed in gunfire during a rally in the Andean state of Tachira near the Colombian border. On the other hand, at least one legislator had to be hospitalised, and images posted online showed opposition leader and former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles choking on teargas.
According to rights group Penal Forum, over 400 people were arrested during the protest rally. Tens of thousands of protesters made an unsuccessful attempt to march to downtown Caracas as security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd. Reports said dozens had to slide down a concrete embankment and into the Guaire River to escape the noxious fumes.
The unrest began three weeks ago over the Supreme Court's decision to strip the opposition-controlled Congress of its last remaining powers. Nearly eight people have been killed since the protests started in Venezuela. The opposition has attributed all the deaths to groups known as "colectivos", who are armed government supporters. They are frequently accused of involvement in confrontations during protests. In this gallery, IBTimes Singapore, brings you a series of pictures from the anti-government protests that stormed Venezuela streets.