Violent clashes broke out between Venezuelan riot police and anti-Maduro protesters as hundreds marched through the streets in Caracas yesterday (April 30).<br /><br />Footage shows Venezuela National Guard armoured vehicles deploying a water cannon as protesters hurl rocks towards police at the Highway Francisco Fajardo near La Carlota military base.<br /><br />A crowd of masked protesters can be seen throwing stones what appears to be a bomb to a police vehicle and setting it on fire. <br /><br />Tear gas is later fired by Venezuela police and a cloud of smoke invades the highway later on in the video.<br /><br />The clashes happened after the Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó called on Venezuelans and military to back him in what he named ‘’Operation Freedom’’, a final phase of ousting President Nicolas Maduro.<br /><br />Guaidó’s attempt to spark a military uprising failed and also triggered a violent response from security forces, who used repressive tactics to crush small pockets of protesters.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro claimed to have defeated Guaidó’s ‘attempted coup’ and vowed to remain in government.<br /><br />Despite Guaidó’s failure to gain military support, the opposition leader remains defiant and has called for mass protests later today (May 1).
