RantCrush Top 5: April 20, 2017

Last night saw huge anti-government protests in Venezuela. At least three people were reportedly killed–one of whom was a 17-year-old boy–and at least 400 were arrested as tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of the capital, Caracas, and other cities. Protests have been ongoing for the past month after the Supreme Court, led by President Nicolás Maduro’s loyalists, tried to dissolve the opposition-controlled legislature. This raised concerns that the country would evolve into a dictatorship and the move was internationally condemned. The government has already delayed elections and blocked attempts by the opposition to hold a referendum to oust Maduro from power.

Bread lines in Venezuela.
(Actually a protest. But who can tell..?) pic.twitter.com/wUYGJjSksP

— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) April 20, 2017

Maduro ignored international pleas to allow peaceful demonstrations and called in the National Guard to crack down on the protesters. He has taken a defiant tone and called the protesters “terrorists,” promising to arrest them. In the meantime, the country is in a financial crisis and the food shortage is worsening.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.