Caracas(July 21, 2017): A nationwide strike against plans to rewrite the constitution shut down much of Venezuelan’s capital before erupting into sporadic violence that left at least two young men dead.
President Nicolas Maduro pledged to forge ahead with reshaping Venezuela’s government despite the protests and a U.S. threat to levy economic sanctions if he continued.
The 24-hour strike was meant as an expression of national disapproval of Maduro’s plan to convene a constitutional assembly that would reshape the Venezuelan system to consolidate the ruling party’s power over the few institutions that remain outside its control.
The opposition is boycotting a July 30 election to select members of the assembly.
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