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WORLD NEWS Friday 28 July 2017
Venezuela unrest continues as polarizing vote nears

By FABIOLA SANCHEZ When Neomar Lander, 17,
CHRISTINE ARMARIO was rushed bloody and
Associated Press lifeless to a hospital in early
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) June, officials came out
— Days before a polariz- within hours to say he had
ing vote to start rewriting been killed by a home-
its constitution, Venezuela made bomb he was car-
is convulsing to a rhythm rying. Opposition leaders
of daytime strikes and noc- maintained he was hit by
turnal clashes. The most a canister of tear gas fired
recent violence drove the by National Guard troops
death toll from nearly four standing above the bridge
months of unrest above where he was found dead.
100 Thursday. “They try to question the
Most of the dead in anti- humanity of the other side
government protests that as a political tactic, and I
began in early April have think that ends up discour-
been young men killed aging and dismaying peo-
by gunfire. The toll also in- ple,” said David Smilde, a
cludes looters, police al- Tulane University expert on
legedly attacked by pro- Venezuela.
testers and civilians killed in The protests began follow-
accidents related to road- ing a Supreme Court ruling
blocks set up during dem- that stripped the opposi- Supporters of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro cheer during a rally in Caracas, Venezuela,
onstrations. tion-controlled National Thursday, July 27, 2017. Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has provoked international outcry
The count by the county’s Assembly of its remaining and enraged an opposition demanding his resignation with his push to elect an assembly that will
chief prosecutor has been powers. Though quickly rewrite the troubled South American nation’s constitution. Sunday’s election will cap nearly four
highly politicized, with the reversed, the decision ig- months of political upheaval that has left thousands detained and injured and at least 100 dead.
(AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
opposition and other gov- nited a protest movement
ernment agencies report- against socialist President buy basic food items and delegates to an assembly the United States.
ing varying tolls and causes Nicolas Maduro fueled by deadly medical shortages. that is to rewrite the consti- Earlier, officials announced
of death that focus blame anger over triple-digit in- Addressing a multitude of tution. He posed the vote a host of security measures
on the other side. flation, hours-long lines to government supporters as a choice that Venezu- that were being enacted
dressed in red Thursday, elans must make between including an order that no
Maduro called on Venezu- being either “a free coun- political protests be held
elans to vote in Sunday’s try or a colony of the em- between Thursday and
controversial election for pire” — Maduro’s term for Tuesday.q

Brazil’s President Michel Temer speaks at Planalto presidential
palace in Brasilia, Brazil.
(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Poll:

Brazil president’s approval

ratings hit a new low, 5 pct

SAO PAULO (AP) — A new cent gave him either bad
poll in Brazil shows President or terrible ratings.
Michel Temer’s already- In the institute’s previous
abysmal popularity ratings poll from March, 10 per-
have hit a new low as cor- cent approved of Temer
ruption allegations contin- and 55 percent rated his
ue to swirl around him and performance bad or ter-
others in government. rible.
Just 5 percent of respon- Ibope interviewed 2,000
dents in the Instituto Ibope people July 13-16 for the
survey released Thursday latest survey, which had
approved of Temer’s job a margin of error of 2 per-
performance, while 70 per- centage points.q