Five Military Members Injured In Clashes Between Venezuelan Gov't, Protesters - Maduro

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said five members of the military were injured as a result of the violent clashes in Caracas between the government's security forces and protesters responding to the opposition leader's call for an uprising

MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st May, 2019) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said five members of the military were injured as a result of the violent clashes in Caracas between the government's security forces and protesters responding to the opposition leader's call for an uprising.

On Tuesday, opposition leader Juan Guaido, who had illegally proclaimed himself president of the country, called on Venezuela's civilians and the military to act against the government. Violent clashes between pro-Guaido protesters and the government's security forces ensued.

"We have five injured members of the military as a result of the events at Altamira Square. Two are in critical condition," Maduro said on Tuesday in a tv Venezuela broadcast.

Maduro said that three police officers had also received injuries during the clashes.

The Venezuelan leader thanked the people who assembled near the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas to show their support.

"I want to thank the people of Venezuela because the Venezuelan people heard me when I said that if at some point, there would be difficult circumstances and a group of people would want to overthrow me or do something to me, then [my supporters] needed to have iron nerves and to go to the streets.

I said this and they listened. Thousands of people came to the Miraflores Palace today," Maduro said.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said that the Venezuelan army remained loyal to the county's legitimate government. Maduro said that he had ordered an investigation into the attempted coup initiated by Guiado.

Large-scale protests against Maduro began in Venezuela on January 21 soon after he was sworn in for a new term. Guaido proclaimed himself an interim leader of the country. A number of Western countries, including the United States, backed his claim. Maduro, in turn, has accused the United States of trying to orchestrate a coup in order to install Guaido as its puppet. Russia, China, and a number of other countries have voiced their support for Maduro as the only legitimate president of Venezuela.