CARACAS – In areas of Caracas where Molotov cocktails continued to meet tear gas canisters, restaurants struggled to stay in business.
The street food vendors who are already struggling with soaring inflation and food shortages said they have to take off running when the clashes begin. To avoid injury, some of the customers also flee -- sometimes even without paying.
The protests began in April after the Supreme Court moved to limit the power of the National Assembly. The justices, who support President Nicolas Maduro, later reversed their decision to limit the reach of the elected lawmakers who are in their majority opponents of Maduro.
Venezuelan officials linked about four dozen deaths to the anti-Maduro protests. The Maduro administration blames the fatalities and the looting of businesses on the "guarimberos," the vandals who have been showing their dissent with rioting.
Maduro's opposition continues to report human rights abuses and holds the repressive dictatorship and pro-Maduro armed militias known as "colectivos" responsible for some of the deaths. They have also blamed them for harassment and thefts during the protests.
Maduro's opposition was organizing a candlelight march in Caracas on Wednesday night.
Local 10 News' Andrea Torres contributed to this report from Miami.
