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Venezuelan president orders crackdown on armed groups causing violence

Xinhua, May 4, 2017 Adjust font size:

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday ordered new search and capture operations for "armed fascist groups," as these groups were launching attacks against the people.

"I have ordered operations to find groups who have taken up arms against the Republic or against the people. From the ranks of the opposition....a fascist armed insurgency has risen," Maduro said emerging from the Electoral National Council (CNE) where he had delivered his constitutional reform proposal.

The president explained that these groups are promoting terrorism and he affirmed that the State "has the right to defend itself."

Maduro's order comes after a number of outbreaks of violence on Tuesday, which he said had been called by the opposition and left two persons dead.

Since the beginning of April, violent protests in the country have left at least 33 dead, over 500 seriously injured and over 1,000 people arrested. Enditem