In Caracas, protesters tore down and burned posters of President Maduro, set tires, cars, and rubbish on fire. Armed police, military, and government-supporting paramilitaries clashed with protesters, blocking roads around the city center. The Venezuelan government suspended commercial flights to and from Panama and the Dominican Republic starting Wednesday at 20:00 local time.
President Maduro, in a televised speech, urged citizens to remain calm and patient, emphasizing the need to face and defeat violence. Protesters in La Lucha, a densely populated area, expressed their frustration. Paola Sarzalejo, 41, and her father Miguel, 64, decried the election as fraudulent, claiming their victory was stolen and calling for a better future for the youth.
Cristobal Martinez, draped in a Venezuelan flag, also called the election a fraud, highlighting the high participation of young, unemployed voters seeking change. He criticized older government supporters living off bonuses and food handouts and appealed for international help to prevent further disaster.
