Venezuela police tear-gas protesters demanding salary rises
By AFP
April 9, 2026
Opponents to the government of Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez clash with the police as they demonstrate in demand of salary and pension raises in Caracas on April 8, 2026 - Copyright AFP Kent Nishimura
Venezuelan police fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse around 2,000 protesters who marched towards the presidential palace to demand salary and pension increases, AFP reporters saw.
In a sign that the fear that gripped Venezuelan society under ousted leader Nicolas Maduro has begun to subside, the protesters chanted “Yes, we can!” as they pressed long-standing demands for increases to wages so low that many struggle to survive.
Others shouted “Let’s go to Miraflores!” referring to the presidential palace in the center of Caracas.
Dozens of riot police with helmets and shields attempted to drive back the protesters as they made their way through central Caracas, a few kilometers from the presidential palace.
The clashes reflect growing anger in Venezuela over the perceived failure of acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who replaced Maduro after his overthrow in January, to address a cost-of-living crisis.
On Wednesday, she went on television to announce an increase in wages on May 1 but did not disclose the amount.
The monthly minimum wage in Venezuela is 130 bolivars (US$0.27), unchanged since 2022, and roughly 330 times lower than the UN poverty line of $3 a day.
While public sector wages can reach around $150 with government bonuses, they remain a fraction of the $645 that, according to various estimates, families need to cover their basic food needs in the face of annual inflation of over 600 percent.
The protesters demanded increases to baseline salaries and not just to their bonuses, which have been increased in the past even as wages remained stagnant.
“Enough of this deception about salary increases. They want to pass off our government bonuses as a salary. That is completely unheard of,” Mauricio Ramos, a 71-year-old retiree, told AFP.
– Inflation fears –
Rodriguez, who succeeded former leader Nicolas Maduro after his capture by US forces in a January 3 raid, has advocated a “responsible” increase in salaries that does not cause a spike in inflation.
The former vice president received the nod from US President Donald Trump to succeed Maduro, provided she gave Washington access to Venezuelan oil.
Under pressure from Washington to ease repression, she has pushed through several major economic reforms, as well as an amnesty for political prisoners.
But she faces growing impatience from Venezuelans struggling to pay for food, medicine and other basics.
Thursday’s protest was the biggest anti-government demonstration since August 2024, as Venezuelans showing growing assertiveness after largely refraining from protesting over the past two years following successive crackdowns on dissenters.
The August 2024 protests, which followed Maduro’s disputed claim of victory in August 2024 presidential elections, were brutally repressed.
By AFP
April 9, 2026
Opponents to the government of Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez clash with the police as they demonstrate in demand of salary and pension raises in Caracas on April 8, 2026 - Copyright AFP Kent Nishimura
Venezuelan police fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse around 2,000 protesters who marched towards the presidential palace to demand salary and pension increases, AFP reporters saw.
In a sign that the fear that gripped Venezuelan society under ousted leader Nicolas Maduro has begun to subside, the protesters chanted “Yes, we can!” as they pressed long-standing demands for increases to wages so low that many struggle to survive.
Others shouted “Let’s go to Miraflores!” referring to the presidential palace in the center of Caracas.
Dozens of riot police with helmets and shields attempted to drive back the protesters as they made their way through central Caracas, a few kilometers from the presidential palace.
The clashes reflect growing anger in Venezuela over the perceived failure of acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who replaced Maduro after his overthrow in January, to address a cost-of-living crisis.
On Wednesday, she went on television to announce an increase in wages on May 1 but did not disclose the amount.
The monthly minimum wage in Venezuela is 130 bolivars (US$0.27), unchanged since 2022, and roughly 330 times lower than the UN poverty line of $3 a day.
While public sector wages can reach around $150 with government bonuses, they remain a fraction of the $645 that, according to various estimates, families need to cover their basic food needs in the face of annual inflation of over 600 percent.
The protesters demanded increases to baseline salaries and not just to their bonuses, which have been increased in the past even as wages remained stagnant.
“Enough of this deception about salary increases. They want to pass off our government bonuses as a salary. That is completely unheard of,” Mauricio Ramos, a 71-year-old retiree, told AFP.
– Inflation fears –
Rodriguez, who succeeded former leader Nicolas Maduro after his capture by US forces in a January 3 raid, has advocated a “responsible” increase in salaries that does not cause a spike in inflation.
The former vice president received the nod from US President Donald Trump to succeed Maduro, provided she gave Washington access to Venezuelan oil.
Under pressure from Washington to ease repression, she has pushed through several major economic reforms, as well as an amnesty for political prisoners.
But she faces growing impatience from Venezuelans struggling to pay for food, medicine and other basics.
Thursday’s protest was the biggest anti-government demonstration since August 2024, as Venezuelans showing growing assertiveness after largely refraining from protesting over the past two years following successive crackdowns on dissenters.
The August 2024 protests, which followed Maduro’s disputed claim of victory in August 2024 presidential elections, were brutally repressed.
Venezuelan opposition demands elections after Maduro ouster
By AFP
April 10, 2026
Opponents to the government of Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez demonstrate demanding salary and pension raises in Caracas on April 9, 2026 - Copyright AFP/File Brook Mitchell
Margioni BERMÚDEZ
Venezuela’s opposition on Friday called for presidential elections, noting that the 90-day legal period for organizing a vote on replacing ousted leader Nicolas Maduro had elapsed.
In a statement, the Vente party of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said that with Maduro absent from the country since his capture by US forces in a January 3 raid, “presidential elections must be called within 30 days of this declaration.”
Maduro’s former vice president Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim president on January 5, two days after longtime socialist leader Maduro was flown out of Venezuela by US forces to face trial in New York.
He has appeared in court twice since then to answer drug trafficking charges.
The Venezuelan constitution says that “temporary absences of the president of the republic shall be filled by the executive vice president for up to 90 days, extendable by decision of the National Assembly for an additional 90 days.”
“If a temporary absence lasts for more than 90 consecutive days, the National Assembly shall decide by a majority vote of its members whether it should be considered a permanent absence,” says Article 234 of the constitution, which was cited by Vente.
Vente said the “entire country and the democratic international community know and can attest to” Maduro’s complete absence from power.
The move comes a day after protesters calling for wage increases clashed with police in the center of Caracas, in a sign that the fear that gripped Venezuelan society under Maduro had begun to subside.
By Friday, 97 days had passed since Venezuela’s authoritarian leader of 12 years was nabbed by US special forces at a military compound in Caracas, together with his wife Cilia Flores.
Caracas says that around 100 people were killed in the pre-dawn bombing raid that preceded his capture and the firefight between US forces and Maduro’s security detail.
Venezuela’s parliament, which has a pro-government majority, has not yet discussed calling new elections.
So far, its focus has been on rolling back state control over the economy to pave the way for more foreign investment in the critical oil and mining sectors.
The reforms are a key demand of the United States, which has been content to let Maduro’s former inner circle retain power as long as it unlocks access to oil and eases state repression.
– Stability first –
President Donald Trump has voiced satisfaction with Rodriguez — he has called her “terrific” — and threatened her with a similar fate to Maduro if she does not do his bidding.
Speaking in late February, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Venezuela “will need the legitimacy of democratic — fair, democratic — elections” but said Washington’s initial priority after Maduro’s capture had been to ensure stability.
Rodriguez told NBC News in mid-February that she was committed to holding free and fair elections, but the timing would be decided as part of a “political dialogue.”
Maduro is accused of stealing the last presidential elections in July 2024.
The opposition’s tally of votes at that time showed Machado’s candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, winning by a wide margin.
The National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed Maduro the winner without providing a detailed vote breakdown, triggering mass protests that were harshly suppressed.
Opposition parties have called for a change in the leadership of the CNE, which is accused of doing the bidding of the ruling “chavismo” movement founded by late socialist firebrand Hugo Chavez, who was president from 1999 to 2013.
No comments:
Post a Comment