Venezuelan President blames opposition lawmakers for violent actions

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday accused opposition lawmakers of being responsible for "crimes against the people" after violence soared during protests in recent days.

During his weekly address in the National Assembly, Maduro accused opposition legislators José Guerra and Tomás Guanipa of being the main actors of several violent actions in Caracas, the capital of the country.

According to Maduro, Guerra hired 15-20 "thugs" to attack the Materno Infantil Hospital in Caracas on the night of April 20 and called for an investigation over the attack.

Violent protests have been staged in the streets of Caracas since early April against the government and clashes between the police and protesters have claimed at least 15 lives. Enditem