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| Tension in Venezuela as rival rallies set off in Caracas | Tension in Venezuela as rival rallies set off in Caracas |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pro- and anti-government protesters are taking part in rival rallies in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. | |
| An opposition leader, Leopoldo Lopez, has said he will lead the anti-government march before handing himself in to the authorities, as he is wanted on charges of inciting violence. | |
| Government supporters are gathered for a counter rally in central Caracas. | Government supporters are gathered for a counter rally in central Caracas. |
| Tensions have been running high in the deeply polarised country; at least three people have died in clashes. | Tensions have been running high in the deeply polarised country; at least three people have died in clashes. |
| The three, two anti-government protesters and one government supporter, died of bullet wounds sustained during demonstrations last Wednesday. | |
| Participants in a protest in the eastern city of Carupano said another student was killed when he was run over by a car during a march on Monday night. | Participants in a protest in the eastern city of Carupano said another student was killed when he was run over by a car during a march on Monday night. |
| Ahead of the rallies, Caracas Mayor Jorge Rodriguez warned that he had not authorised Tuesday's opposition march in Caracas. | Ahead of the rallies, Caracas Mayor Jorge Rodriguez warned that he had not authorised Tuesday's opposition march in Caracas. |
| Police and members of the National Guard are out in force. Opposition activists have accused them of trying to prevent them from attending the anti-government rally. | |
| The anti-government demonstration was called by Mr Lopez, leader of the opposition Popular Will party and former mayor of Chacao district in eastern Caracas. | |
| Conspiracy allegations | Conspiracy allegations |
| Mr Lopez urged his supporters to join the march but asked them to stop short of the Interior Ministry, which is located in a pro-government area of Caracas and where he is planning to hand in a petition. | Mr Lopez urged his supporters to join the march but asked them to stop short of the Interior Ministry, which is located in a pro-government area of Caracas and where he is planning to hand in a petition. |
| "I will walk alone. I won't put any Venezuelan lives at risk. Go Venezuela!" he wrote on Twitter. | "I will walk alone. I won't put any Venezuelan lives at risk. Go Venezuela!" he wrote on Twitter. |
| In a video statement released on Sunday, he said he had not committed any crime and insisted allegations that he had incited violence were untrue. | In a video statement released on Sunday, he said he had not committed any crime and insisted allegations that he had incited violence were untrue. |
| He also said he would hand himself in at the end of Tuesday's march. | He also said he would hand himself in at the end of Tuesday's march. |
| "If there is a decision to legally throw me in jail I'll submit myself to this persecution," he said. | "If there is a decision to legally throw me in jail I'll submit myself to this persecution," he said. |
| The US state department earlier denied that it was helping to organise the anti-government protests. | |
| "The allegation that the United States is helping to organise protesters in Venezuela is baseless and false," spokeswoman Jan Psaki said. | "The allegation that the United States is helping to organise protesters in Venezuela is baseless and false," spokeswoman Jan Psaki said. |
| Her statement came a day after Venezuela announced it would expel three US diplomats for allegedly meeting students who had been leading marches. | |
| The main opposition grievances are high inflation, crime and the shortage of some staples. | The main opposition grievances are high inflation, crime and the shortage of some staples. |
| The government has blamed the shortages on "saboteurs" and "profit-hungry corrupt businessmen". | The government has blamed the shortages on "saboteurs" and "profit-hungry corrupt businessmen". |