Caracas, July 16: At least eight people have been injured in clashes between Venezuelan National Guard troops and opposition forces over the command of a police unit.
Government forces confronted the opposition in Curiepe, Miranda, east of the capital Caracas, on Wednesday in a swift crackdown on anti-government protesters who sought to maintain authority over a police station.
Violence erupted after dozens of National Guard riot police evacuated the town’s police station controlled by the opposition, the Associated Press quoted Miranda state security forces as saying.
Opposition officials decided to move their police headquarters in a bid to prevent further violence.
Adriana D’Elia, a Miranda state government agent, said that the opposition made the decision following a meeting with the town’s civil authorities.
“We believe that dialogue is the most important issue in these tense situations,” D’Elia added.
Recently, there have been a number of sporadic clashes between pro- and anti-government groups over the enlargement of government in Venezuela.
The administration in Caracas has not yet commented on the latest development.
—–Agencies