President Nicolas Maduro's five-year reign looks set to be over after US-backed rival Juan Guaidó swore himself in as interim president
VIOLENT protests have erupted in Venezuela leaving at least seven dead after thousands took to the streets in a bid to oust President Nicolas Maduro.
Marxist Maduro’s five-year reign looks set to be over after US-backed rival Juan Guaidó swore himself in as interim president to challenge the feared strongman.
At least seven people demonstrating against Maduro's government were killed on Wednesday, including four gunned down in the southwestern city of Barinas.
Shocking pictures show masked men firing tear gas, protesters burning cars and civilians covered in blood after being beaten up by cops who fired tear gas against demonstrators.
Tens of thousands of protesters answered Guaidó’s call to the streets after Maduro started his second term of office on January 11 following disputed elections.
The move sparked reactions across the world, with the US the first country to officially recognise Guaido as the interim president.
Donald Trump branded Maduro’s government “illegitimate” and said that America stands with Venezuela.
Maduro destroyed the oil-rich South American nation’s economy sparking rampant inflation which wrecked its health system and left his people starving.
Charismatic Guaidó - a 35-year-old lawmaker scarred by rubber bullets in street demos - has boosted stalled efforts to finally oust limpet-like Maduro, 56.
He has also won the crucial support of neighbouring nations Brazil and Colombia and Donald Trump’s US.
The march and further unrest in the capital, Caracas followed two nights of violent protests in working-class neighbourhoods of Caracas where Maduro support was once firm.
Other protests were planned across the country and outside embassies around the world.
Guaidó warned notoriously brutal Maduro: “The world’s eyes are on our homeland today.”
Guaidó - head of the country's National Assembly - earlier described the president as a “usurper” and declared himself ready to assume the presidency until fair elections.
He went on to bravely call on armed forces keeping Maduro in power to disobey the government.
Venezuela - whose hard-left regime was saluted by Jeremy Corbyn in 2015 - sits on the biggest oil reserves on earth.
But its rulers have presided over rampant hyperinflation rendering the Bolivar currency worthless and sparked food and medicine shortages while crime rocketed.
Street unrest boiled over amid spiralling economic turmoil after three million Venezuelans fled triggering a refugee crisis across the continent.
Trump said last night: “I am officially recognizing the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela.
“In its role as the only legitimate branch of government duly elected by the Venezuelan people, the National Assembly invoked the country’s constitution to declare Nicolas Maduro illegitimate, and the office of the presidency therefore vacant.
"The people of Venezuela have courageously spoken out.”
Saluting Maduro’s government in 2015, Labour leader Corbyn said: “We celebrate the achievements of Venezuela, in jobs, in housing, in health, in education, but above all its role in the whole world as a completely different place.”
