Venezuelan anti-government rallies turn violent, two dead

Anti-government demonstrators take cover from advancing Bolivarian Police officers during protests in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, April 19, 2017.

Opponents of President Nicolas Maduro called on Venezuelans to take to the streets on Wednesday for what they dubbed the "mother of all marches" against the embattled socialist leader.

That may be the case once more Wednesday, as the government has called on its supporters to pour into the streets in Maduro's defense.

Clashes between protesters, police and government supporters started early.

Venezuelan media outlets and reporters confirmed that one young man died after being shot in the head at a protest in San Bernardino, although the details of his death are not yet known. Reportedly, many journalists have been attacked as well. Pro-government militias, some of whose members were armed, were blamed for the two deaths, including that of a teenager in Caracas who was heading to a soccer game with friends.

Brian Ellsworth of Reuters, speaking to us by Skype from Caracas, said tensions have been building. Analysts say there is less likelihood of a putsch against Maduro because Chavez launched a broad purge of the armed forces following his brief ouster.

The huge demonstration, in which thousands of government opponents assembled and marched from 26 separate spots around the capital, was dispersed by security forces at several places in the Libertador district.

The march followed a fortnight of violent protests triggered by a Supreme Court decision in March to assume the powers of the opposition-led Congress - which it quickly reversed under worldwide pressure.The court's move nonetheless fuelled long-simmering anger over the ruling Socialist Party's handling of the economy.

The court quickly rolled back on the move in the face of an global outcry, but it breathed new life into the fractured opposition movement.

That move was later reversed, but it had the added effect of energising Venezuela's fractious opposition, which had been struggling to channel growing anger against Maduro over widespread food shortages and triple-digit inflation.

Opponents are now pushing for Maduro's removal through early elections and the release of scores of political prisoners.

Opposition marchers included Liliana Machuca, who earns about $20 a month holding two jobs teaching literature.

"The aim of these protests is to generate a definitive change of government and institutions", protester Eduard Grosse told Al Jazeera.

"This is like a chess game and each side is moving whatever pieces they can".

Tens of thousands of protesters demanding elections and denouncing what they consider increasingly dictatorial government were met by a curtain of tear gas and rubber bullets as they attempted to march to downtown Caracas on Wednesday. "We're watching it closely".

"The opposition is trying to provoke a conflict but they aren't going to achieve their goal", said Marquez, wearing a shirt emblazoned with the eyes of the late Hugo Chavez, a symbol of revolutionary zeal in Venezuela.

But Yoneici Paredes, a youth leader supporting Maduro, took a different view: "Today, this youth is convinced that socialism is the way ... for us to build Venezuela's power and the message is to contribute our grain of sand to be a better country in Venezuela".

The President signed orders late Tuesday activating the "green phase" of military plans to defend the South American country against what he described as US-backed attempts to sow chaos and overthrow him. "We deplore the use of violence against unarmed protestors", it said.

The opposition rejected his comments as a desperate attempt to intimidate Venezuelans from exercising their constitutional right to protest.

"If today we were millions tomorrow even more of us need to come out", said opposition governor and two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, who last week was barred from running for office for 15 years.