by WorldTribune Staff, July 6, 2017
Supporters of President Nicolas Maduro, many wielding pipes, stormed Venezuela’s opposition-led congress on July 5 and attacked lawmakers who oppose the socialist president.
Seven politicians were injured by the mob and some 350 lawmakers, journalists and guests at the Independence Day session were trapped until the siege ended at dusk, National Assembly president Julio Borges told reporters.
“There are bullets, cars destroyed including mine, blood stains around the (congress) palace,” Borges said. “The violence in Venezuela has a name and surname: Nicolas Maduro.”
The mob had gathered just after dawn outside the building in downtown Caracas, Reuters reported. In the late morning, several dozen people ran past the gates with pipes, sticks and stones and went on the attack.
Several injured lawmakers stumbled bloodied and dazed around the assembly’s corridors. Some journalists were robbed, the report said.
After the morning attack, a crowd of roughly 100 people, many dressed in red and shouting “Long Live The Revolution!” trapped people inside for hours, witnesses said.
Some in the crowd outside the National Assembly building brandished pistols, threatened to cut water and power supplies, and played an audio of late socialist president Hugo Chavez saying “Tremble, oligarchy!”
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