OVCS recorded 187 protests in Venezuela after the presidential elections

• The NGO called on the authorities to respect the peaceful demonstration and free expression | Photo: El Diario

On Monday, July 29, the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict (OVCS) recorded at least 187 protests in 20 states of the country.

“Numerous acts of repression and violence by paramilitary groups and security forces have been reported,” the non-governmental organization (NGO) said on its X account (formerly Twitter).

The OVCS also demanded that the authorities guarantee the right of the population to peaceful protest and free expression. They also urged the population to exercise their rights without resorting to violence.

This is the list of entities where demonstrations were recorded:

Anzoategui

Aragua

Barinas

Bolívar

Carabobo

Cojedes

Capital district

Falcon

Guarico

Lara

Merida

Miranda

Monagas

New Sparta

Portuguese

Sucre

Tachira

Trujillo

Vargas

Zulia

#29Jul | #BalancePreliminarOVCS

📢 As of 6 pm, 187 protests have been recorded in 20 states of the country:

Anzoategui
Aragua
Barinas
Bolívar
Carabobo
Cojedes
Capital district
Falcon
Guarico
Lara
Merida
Miranda
Monagas
New Sparta
Portuguese
Sucre
Tachira
Trujillo
Vargas
Zulia… pic.twitter.com/dcgt9hpUl1

— Conflict Observatory (@OVCSocial) July 29, 2024

Protests continued into the night

In the evening, protests and cacerolazos continued to be reported across much of Venezuela in protest of the results issued by the National Electoral Council (CNE) announcing Nicolás Maduro as president.

Journalist Jhorman Cruz reported in X that in the state of Zulia, pot-banging protests were heard in Haticos, Cuatricentenario, El Marite, Cabimas, Lagunillas and Bachaquero.

In Lara state, looting was reported in a supermarket located on the main avenue of Ruiz Pineda in Barquisimeto, according to a video published by The Lara Press.

A group of protesters on the Intercommunal Avenue of Guarenas (Miranda), near Farmatodo, closed the road, according to a video released by Chronicle One.

In La Guaira, several citizens knocked down a statue of Hugo Chávez on Carlos Soublette Avenue. They also took a painting of the former president from the Corpoelec headquarters in this state.

#29Jul | It was reported that there was looting in a supermarket located on the main avenue of Ruiz Pineda, in the west of Barquisimeto (Lara), on Monday night.

🎥: @laprensalarapic.twitter.com/iRIBeggkt4

— The Daily (@eldiario) July 30, 2024

Journalist Ariana Ágreda reported in X that shots were fired in the afternoon during a demonstration that took place in Cumaná, Sucre state.

#SUCRE | 5:49pm
🚨🚨 CUMANÁ pic.twitter.com/PD2emvOUg2

— ARIANA AGREDA (@ariana_agreda) July 29, 2024

Arrests and human rights violations

In the context of the protests, several human rights violations by security officials have been reported. The Criminal Forum recorded 13 arbitrary arrests following the presidential elections on July 28.

For its part, the Venezuelan Program for Education and Action in Human Rights (Provea) released a video of protesters in Miraflores, Libertador municipality (Caracas), being shot at as they approached the presidential house.

“Armed groups supporting the Maduro government shot at peaceful demonstrators on Urdaneta Avenue, Caracas, protesting against the CNE results. They acted under the protection of the Bolivarian National Police (PNB),” the NGO reported.

The National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) reported that journalist Jesús Romero, from the digital media City Codewas wounded by bullets while covering the demonstrations in San Jacinto, Maracay (Aragua).

#29Jul | The National Union of Press Workers (@sntpvenezuela) reported that journalist Jesús Romero, from the digital media @CodigoUrbewas wounded by bullets while covering the demonstrations in San Jacinto, Maracay (Aragua).

According to the… pic.twitter.com/jQjxZPLnUy

— The Daily (@eldiario) July 30, 2024

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