Violence mounts in Venezuela

Venezuelan government supporters illuminated the night sky in Caracas with fireworks on Tuesday as opposition supporters issued their own noisy protest, banging pots in defiance over the contested presidential election.              

Protests erupted in parts of Caracas and other Venezuelan cities on Monday after Acting President Nicolas Maduro was declared winner of Sunday's presidential election. As Maduro only held a narrow lead, the opposition rejected the results and demanded a vote recount.                

According to the electoral council, Maduro won by 262,000 votes out of 14.9 million ballots cast.                  

On Tuesday, Venezuela's president-elect announced that he was banning an opposition march scheduled for the following day, saying its goal was to create disorder in the capital.      

In response to the ban, opposition candidate Henrique Capriles urged his followers not to march, but to instead stage pot-banging protests Tuesday night and for the rest of the week. 

Capriles supporter Rita Gallegos was one of those who joined in the pot banging protest.                

Maduro and Capriles traded accusations throughout the day over blame for post-election violence that the government said had caused seven deaths and 61 injuries across Venezuela.   


AP