Security forces in Venezuela fired tear gas and rubber bullets at thousands of protesters in Caracas on Monday evening, following a disputed election result. The protests erupted after President Nicolás Maduro declared victory in Sunday’s election, a claim the opposition vehemently disputes.
Protesters, many of whom traveled from slums in the mountains surrounding the capital, marched towards the presidential palace. The opposition asserts that their candidate, Edmundo González, won convincingly with 73.2% of the vote, challenging Maduro’s declaration as fraudulent. Opinion polls prior to the election had indicated a clear victory for González, who had united opposition parties in an effort to oust Maduro amid widespread discontent over the country’s economic crisis.
A heavy military and police presence aimed to disperse the protesters and prevent them from reaching the presidential palace. Demonstrators chanted “freedom, freedom!” and called for the government’s downfall. Footage showed burning tires on highways and police firing tear gas at large crowds in an attempt to control the unrest.
