CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – A throng of protesters demanding food made a run for the Venezuelan presidential palace on Thursday in a rare, apparently spontaneous outburst of anger at the socialist administration within the heart of Caracas.
More than 100 people charged down the main downtown thoroughfare chanting “No more talk. We want food” and got within about a half dozen of the presidential palace before police in riot gear headed them off and began firing tear gas.
Police pushed the protesters back as some kicked their plastic shields. More officers ran toward the scene and filled in the streets between the protesters and the palace.
Onlookers leaned out of windows banging pots and yelling insults at the officers.
The economically struggling county has seen near-daily spontaneous protests in recent weeks over shortages of food and medicine, rolling blackouts, and poor access to running water.