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| Crude Weapons Help Fuel Unrest in Bastion of Venezuelan Opposition | Crude Weapons Help Fuel Unrest in Bastion of Venezuelan Opposition |
| (6 months later) | |
| SAN CRISTÓBAL, Venezuela — No one here is hiding the heavy artillery, such as it is. Students camping out on an intersection of this city, which has become a battleground between the authorities and antigovernment protesters, have a variety of homemade weapons — mortars to lob small, noisy explosives, miniature firebombs, slingshots, clubs and nasty-looking things called Miguelitos made from hoses festooned with nails. | |
| “We’re not peaceful here,” said Andryth Niño, 19, toying with a two-and-a-half-foot-long Miguelito one night this week as she sat with companions on the curb near the students’ ragtag camp, which had been rebuilt after being flattened a few nights earlier by National Guard troops. “You can’t be peaceful when they’re always attacking you.” | “We’re not peaceful here,” said Andryth Niño, 19, toying with a two-and-a-half-foot-long Miguelito one night this week as she sat with companions on the curb near the students’ ragtag camp, which had been rebuilt after being flattened a few nights earlier by National Guard troops. “You can’t be peaceful when they’re always attacking you.” |
| Opposition political leaders and protest organizers in Caracas, the capital, have been urging demonstrators to use nonviolent means to confront the government, and most of the large marches and rallies around the country, including here, have been carried out peacefully. | Opposition political leaders and protest organizers in Caracas, the capital, have been urging demonstrators to use nonviolent means to confront the government, and most of the large marches and rallies around the country, including here, have been carried out peacefully. |
| Yet the appeal to nonviolence had little echo among some of the most determined protesters in this western city, where the rallies started this month and where confrontations with government troops have been most intense. | Yet the appeal to nonviolence had little echo among some of the most determined protesters in this western city, where the rallies started this month and where confrontations with government troops have been most intense. |
| About a dozen people have died around the country in violence associated with the protests. Several were fatally shot, and many more have been wounded. Security forces have been implicated in some of the deaths. | About a dozen people have died around the country in violence associated with the protests. Several were fatally shot, and many more have been wounded. Security forces have been implicated in some of the deaths. |
| Last week, President Nicolás Maduro sent extra troops to contain the unrest in this bastion of the political opposition, and in recent days National Guard soldiers have swept through residential neighborhoods, firing tear gas and plastic buckshot at residents, menacing or detaining protesters and destroying motorcycles and other property. | Last week, President Nicolás Maduro sent extra troops to contain the unrest in this bastion of the political opposition, and in recent days National Guard soldiers have swept through residential neighborhoods, firing tear gas and plastic buckshot at residents, menacing or detaining protesters and destroying motorcycles and other property. |
| Pointing to the casualties around the country and the aggressive tactics, many protesters said they saw no choice but to do what was needed to act in self-defense. | Pointing to the casualties around the country and the aggressive tactics, many protesters said they saw no choice but to do what was needed to act in self-defense. |
| “We don’t attack; we defend ourselves,” said Daniel Tinoco, 23, a student leader at the encampment, who wears gloves during confrontations with troops to protect his hands while throwing rocks and hurling back tear gas canisters. | “We don’t attack; we defend ourselves,” said Daniel Tinoco, 23, a student leader at the encampment, who wears gloves during confrontations with troops to protect his hands while throwing rocks and hurling back tear gas canisters. |
| The protests started with students but have spread to other sectors of society. Last weekend, in middle-class neighborhoods around this city, residents threw rocks at National Guard troops whom they saw as invaders and prepared firebombs as they guarded barricades made of heaps of junk, tree limbs and other materials. | The protests started with students but have spread to other sectors of society. Last weekend, in middle-class neighborhoods around this city, residents threw rocks at National Guard troops whom they saw as invaders and prepared firebombs as they guarded barricades made of heaps of junk, tree limbs and other materials. |
| On Sunday, a 34-year-old protester was killed when he fell from a rooftop where he had been hiding from troops who were firing tear gas in the neighborhood. | On Sunday, a 34-year-old protester was killed when he fell from a rooftop where he had been hiding from troops who were firing tear gas in the neighborhood. |
| At a memorial service that night for the protester, Jimmy Vargas, friends said his death would make them more aggressive in their fight with government forces. Someone hung a sign on a fence near the spot where Mr. Vargas fell, his blood still staining the ground. | At a memorial service that night for the protester, Jimmy Vargas, friends said his death would make them more aggressive in their fight with government forces. Someone hung a sign on a fence near the spot where Mr. Vargas fell, his blood still staining the ground. |
| “Jimmy, you didn’t go away,” the sign said. “You are here in every rock that is thrown in your name.” | “Jimmy, you didn’t go away,” the sign said. “You are here in every rock that is thrown in your name.” |
| The protests have fed tensions with the United States, which expelled three midlevel Venezuelan diplomats on Tuesday. The move was in retaliation for the expulsion last week by Mr. Maduro of three American consular officials who the Venezuelan government claimed had been fomenting violent student protests, a charge Washington denied. | The protests have fed tensions with the United States, which expelled three midlevel Venezuelan diplomats on Tuesday. The move was in retaliation for the expulsion last week by Mr. Maduro of three American consular officials who the Venezuelan government claimed had been fomenting violent student protests, a charge Washington denied. |
| Even though Venezuela is a major oil supplier to the United States, the two countries have long been at odds politically and have not had ambassadors in each other’s capitals since 2010. On Tuesday, however, the foreign minister, Elías Jaua, said Venezuela would nominate a new ambassador to Washington, after Mr. Maduro said he wanted someone to explain to Americans what was going on in his country. | Even though Venezuela is a major oil supplier to the United States, the two countries have long been at odds politically and have not had ambassadors in each other’s capitals since 2010. On Tuesday, however, the foreign minister, Elías Jaua, said Venezuela would nominate a new ambassador to Washington, after Mr. Maduro said he wanted someone to explain to Americans what was going on in his country. |
| The protests have given voice to a host of complaints, transforming into a prolonged howl of frustrated rage by opponents of the country’s socialist-inspired government. Demonstrators denounce soaring crime, high inflation and long lines to buy food and other basic goods that are in chronically short supply. Now the demands also include the release of jailed protesters and a halt to the tactics used against demonstrators. | The protests have given voice to a host of complaints, transforming into a prolonged howl of frustrated rage by opponents of the country’s socialist-inspired government. Demonstrators denounce soaring crime, high inflation and long lines to buy food and other basic goods that are in chronically short supply. Now the demands also include the release of jailed protesters and a halt to the tactics used against demonstrators. |
| Violent protests, especially among students, have a lengthy history in Venezuela, to the point where the more radical student demonstrators have long been referred to as “rock throwers” — a term that applied to no small number of officials in the current government in their university days. | Violent protests, especially among students, have a lengthy history in Venezuela, to the point where the more radical student demonstrators have long been referred to as “rock throwers” — a term that applied to no small number of officials in the current government in their university days. |
| As the current round of protests has spread, young demonstrators in Caracas have frequently engaged in battles with the police that have often seemed choreographed — generally, a brief thrust and counterthrust that ends with the rock throwers fleeing tear gas and plastic buckshot, only to regroup later. | As the current round of protests has spread, young demonstrators in Caracas have frequently engaged in battles with the police that have often seemed choreographed — generally, a brief thrust and counterthrust that ends with the rock throwers fleeing tear gas and plastic buckshot, only to regroup later. |
| The subject of violence is a delicate one, and most demonstrations in recent weeks have been peaceful. | The subject of violence is a delicate one, and most demonstrations in recent weeks have been peaceful. |
| Nonetheless, Mr. Maduro has focused attention on acts of violence and vandalism. He has repeatedly labeled the protesters as fascists who are part of a wider plot to topple him. And as for the demonstrators in Táchira, the border state of which San Cristóbal is the capital, Mr. Maduro claims their ranks have been infiltrated by right-wing Colombian paramilitary fighters sent by his enemies. | Nonetheless, Mr. Maduro has focused attention on acts of violence and vandalism. He has repeatedly labeled the protesters as fascists who are part of a wider plot to topple him. And as for the demonstrators in Táchira, the border state of which San Cristóbal is the capital, Mr. Maduro claims their ranks have been infiltrated by right-wing Colombian paramilitary fighters sent by his enemies. |
| He has jailed a prominent opposition leader, Leopoldo López, accusing him on television of seeking to cause a coup by training youths to spread violence at demonstrations. Mr. López, the former mayor of a wealthy part of Caracas, denies the charge and has repeatedly called for demonstrators to act peacefully. | He has jailed a prominent opposition leader, Leopoldo López, accusing him on television of seeking to cause a coup by training youths to spread violence at demonstrations. Mr. López, the former mayor of a wealthy part of Caracas, denies the charge and has repeatedly called for demonstrators to act peacefully. |
| Many protesters here and elsewhere say that they have been inspired by recent events in Ukraine, where months of civic unrest culminated in violent street battles that forced President Viktor F. Yanukovych from power. | Many protesters here and elsewhere say that they have been inspired by recent events in Ukraine, where months of civic unrest culminated in violent street battles that forced President Viktor F. Yanukovych from power. |
| “We’ve been watching what’s happening in Ukraine,” said Luigi Pallottini, 19, a student at the encampment. “We’ve been in contact with them through social media.” | “We’ve been watching what’s happening in Ukraine,” said Luigi Pallottini, 19, a student at the encampment. “We’ve been in contact with them through social media.” |
| Protesters said that they had studied videos of the Ukrainian revolt and recent uprisings in Egypt and elsewhere, and that they had learned tactics from them, like how to organize at barricades to watch for the arrival of security forces, how to make smoke bombs and how to block the view of the drivers of tanks or armored riot vehicles by heaving glass bottles filled with paint at the vehicles’ windows. | Protesters said that they had studied videos of the Ukrainian revolt and recent uprisings in Egypt and elsewhere, and that they had learned tactics from them, like how to organize at barricades to watch for the arrival of security forces, how to make smoke bombs and how to block the view of the drivers of tanks or armored riot vehicles by heaving glass bottles filled with paint at the vehicles’ windows. |
| The students and other protesters generally say that they want Mr. Maduro to leave office, but in an orderly manner, such as by resignation or a recall election. | The students and other protesters generally say that they want Mr. Maduro to leave office, but in an orderly manner, such as by resignation or a recall election. |
| Still, at times the whole business has the naïve feel of a boy’s adventure tale. | Still, at times the whole business has the naïve feel of a boy’s adventure tale. |
| One recent night, a pair of students covered their faces with hoods and slunk off under the glare of streetlights with a brace of small firebombs for what they said was a strike against a National Guard post. | One recent night, a pair of students covered their faces with hoods and slunk off under the glare of streetlights with a brace of small firebombs for what they said was a strike against a National Guard post. |
| A short time later they returned, elated, announcing that their mission had been a success. A counterattack was anticipated. The camp sprang into action with an improvised arsenal. That included homemade mortars made from steel tubes. A small bag of explosive powder is put inside the tube and a fuse is lit. When it goes off it makes a loud bang and launches a firework-like projectile about half a block. | A short time later they returned, elated, announcing that their mission had been a success. A counterattack was anticipated. The camp sprang into action with an improvised arsenal. That included homemade mortars made from steel tubes. A small bag of explosive powder is put inside the tube and a fuse is lit. When it goes off it makes a loud bang and launches a firework-like projectile about half a block. |
| Someone else had jammed a piece of brick on the end of a broken golf club and had another weapon, too — a slingshot, with marbles for ammunition. Others picked up metal rods, rocks, Miguelitos or more firebombs, which here are generally made from pony-size beer bottles with a few ounces of gasoline. | Someone else had jammed a piece of brick on the end of a broken golf club and had another weapon, too — a slingshot, with marbles for ammunition. Others picked up metal rods, rocks, Miguelitos or more firebombs, which here are generally made from pony-size beer bottles with a few ounces of gasoline. |
| Scruffy and unwashed from several days at the camp, the students donned an array of protective gear, including motorcycle helmets, construction dust masks and gloves. One had made a shield from a round piece of metal. Two protesters came down a rope from the terrace of what appeared to be an abandoned house on the corner, while another remained behind, perhaps ready to toss projectiles from above. | Scruffy and unwashed from several days at the camp, the students donned an array of protective gear, including motorcycle helmets, construction dust masks and gloves. One had made a shield from a round piece of metal. Two protesters came down a rope from the terrace of what appeared to be an abandoned house on the corner, while another remained behind, perhaps ready to toss projectiles from above. |
| “This,” he said, “is the fort.” | “This,” he said, “is the fort.” |
| Yet the counterattack never arrived, and most of them eventually wandered off to get some sleep. | Yet the counterattack never arrived, and most of them eventually wandered off to get some sleep. |