Venezuelans hold fresh rallies

Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets in another day of rallies to show their support or opposition to the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

A large crowd of Maduro supporters filled the streets of the capital Caracas on Saturday and later marched to the presidential palace.

“Venezuela is a country of peace and they can’t come here and try to change what it is,” said a demonstrator named Josefina Lisset, criticizing the opposition protesters.

“They should let this president rule, he was elected democratically,” she added.

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters also turned out in their biggest rally against Maduro’s 10-month-old government to denounce the president’s handling of Venezuela’s ailing economy.

Meanwhile, a group of student protesters once again clashed with the police in the capital.

The violent student protests, which began earlier this month, have claimed at least ten lives.

Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who is accused of inciting violence, has already been arrested.

Maduro, who accuses the US of backing the opposition in trying to topple his government, unveiled a new peace initiative on Saturday.

“I am calling on the Venezuelan people to join me Wednesday in a national peace conference with all the country’s political sectors … so we Venezuelans can try to neutralize violent groups,” he said.

He also added that US Secretary of State John Kerry’s remarks about the use of “unacceptable” force on protesters by the government had given violent groups a “green light” to continue their brutalities.

According to Maduro, Washington backs the unrest in a bid to launch a coup d’etat in the South American country.