This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-26244539
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Venezuela protest leader Lopez hands himself in | Venezuela protest leader Lopez hands himself in |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez has handed himself over to the National Guard, witnesses say. | Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez has handed himself over to the National Guard, witnesses say. |
| It comes as pro- and anti-government protesters take part in rival rallies in the capital, Caracas. | It comes as pro- and anti-government protesters take part in rival rallies in the capital, Caracas. |
| Mr Lopez, who is wanted on charges of inciting violence, had said he would lead the anti-government march before handing himself in to the authorities. | Mr Lopez, who is wanted on charges of inciting violence, had said he would lead the anti-government march before handing himself in to the authorities. |
| 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. | 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. |
| After a short speech to thousands of supporters, Mr Lopez handed himself over to what he called an unjust and corrupt justice. He denies the charges against him. | |
| "I present myself to an unjust judiciary. They want to jail Venezuelans who want peaceful, democratic change," Reuters quoted him as saying. | |
| Ahead of the rallies, Caracas Mayor Jorge Rodriguez warned that he had not authorised Tuesday's opposition march. | Ahead of the rallies, Caracas Mayor Jorge Rodriguez warned that he had not authorised Tuesday's opposition march. |
| 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. | 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. | 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 |
| Earlier, he 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 was planning to hand in a petition. | Earlier, he 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 was 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. |
| The BBC's Irene Caselli in Caracas says thousands of people - many wearing white and holding Venezuelan flags - are still gathered in the east of the city in support of Mr Lopez. | |
| Government supporters wearing red are holding a rival march and heading to the presidential palace for a meeting with President Maduro. | |
| It appears Mr Lopez took the decision not to lead his supporters into the path of the pro-government protesters, our correspondent adds. | |
| In a video statement released on Sunday, Mr Lopez said he had not committed any crime and insisted allegations that he had incited violence were untrue. | |
| He also promised to hand himself in at the end of Tuesday's march. | He also promised to 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 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. | 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". |