A young beauty queen yesterday became the fifth person to
die in violent anti-government protests that have rocked Venezuela.
Genesis Carmona, 22, was shot in the head when gunmen on
motorbikes fired on protesters during a demonstration in Valencia, in the north
of the South American country.
The model, who was Miss Turismo 2013 for the state of
Carabobo, was taken by motorcycle to hospital where surgeons battled in vain to
save her life.
A relative of Genesis, who asked not to be named, said:
"How long are we going to live like this?
"How long do we have to tolerate this pressure, with
them killing us?"
Genesis had been studying tourism at university and her
relative added: "She only needed one more semester to graduate."
Her death came on the day anti-socialist protests claimed a
sixth victim in a week of violence that has swept the oil-rich country.
Venezuelan TV said a woman who had suffered a heart attack
died after an ambulance taking her to hospital was blocked by opposition
protesters in the capital Caracas yesterday.
The country has spent a week in the grip of violent protests
against the socialist government established by ex-President Hugo Chavez 15
years ago.
Three people have been shot dead in the capital Caracas and
another person was run over by a car during clashes in the coastal town of
Carupano.
On Tuesday, President Nicolas Maduro threw opposition leader
Leopoldo Lopez in jail, accusing him of stirring up the violent clashes.
Lopez was due to appear in court yesterday to learn if he
will face charges for provoking violence against the government.
He has urged his supporters to keep fighting for the
departure of Maduro's socialist administration.
In a nation split largely down the middle on political
lines, 'Chavistas' have stayed loyal to Maduro despite unflattering comparisons
with his famously charismatic predecessor.
Many Venezuelans fear the loss of popular, oil-funded
welfare programs should the socialists lose power.
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