Union leaders and workers demanded new elections and wage increases in front of the United States embassy in Venezuela on Thursday, more than three months after President Nicolas Maduro was captured by the American army on January 3.
Interim president Delcy Rodriguez governs under American pressure, particularly from President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly been blamed for Venezuela and its oil sale.
A handful of demonstrators made their way to the US embassy, located in an affluent area of the capital. The diplomatic mission has resumed its activities following the restoration of relations between Washington and Caracas after seven years of rupture.
Their demands include salary increases, release of political prisoners, and free elections.
“At the moment, the Venezuelan government is under the supervision of North Americans. So, we will talk to the North Americans so that they provide a response to our demands,” said 70-year-old unionist Laura Rada.
“We want to thank the American government for giving us some breathing room, but they must finish the job,” said unionist Victor Pereira, a local embassy employee.
“We urgently need elections,” said Carlos Salazar, coordinator of a union coalition, to AFP.
“Venezuela is under US supervision at the moment. It’s as simple as that,” analyzed 62-year-old retiree Adriana Farnetano, holding a small American flag and wrapped in the national tricolor flag.
She complained, “There’s the oil business and all that, but we don’t see that at the moment. We don’t see anything from oil, gold, or anything else.”
With flags from Venezuela and the United States, about 200 people had gathered earlier on a square located a few kilometers from the embassy, in support of the demands.
Protests had become rare in the country after the repression during Maduro’s controversial re-election on July 28, 2024. Since his capture, protests have resumed.
Published on April 16 at 8:59 PM, AFP
