1.
GV Marchers with banner "Trabajo"
0.13

2.
GTV Marchers
0.18

3.
CU Banner
0.21

4.
SV Police with gas-grenade guns
0.27

5.
GTV Demonstrators
0.32

6.
SV Writing on wall and students climb on building
0.34

7.
SV Students shouting
0.38

8.
SV Police watching
0.43

9.
GV Students in crowd shouting
0.51

10.
SV Writing on wall of building
0.54

11.
GV Students hold meeting
0.58

12.
SV Leader addressing crowd
1.02

13.
SV Policemen stand by
1.06

14.
SV Student leader using loud-hailer
1.12

15.
SV Fighting breaks out among students
1.17

16.
SV Students and run down street (3 shots)
1.30



Initials GHB/NBC/AS/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The wave of unrest among university and high school students in Venezuela continued on Friday (May 16) with demonstrations in Caracas, Ciudad Bolivar, Valera, Maturin, El Tigre, Valencia and Barquisimeto City. The most serious clash between police and students was at Barquisimeto City where one student was wounded and police fired warning shots in the air.

The Caracas protest was organised by the students of the Caracas Central University of Venezuela (UCV) who called a general strike in memory of Carlos Ramon Bello, the University of the Andes student shot two days previously in Merida.

On Thursday (May 15) President Rafael Caldera strongly reprimanded student disorders and warned that the Government was determined to maintain law and order.

The student unrest was sparked off by a "renovation" movement which student leaders claimed began as a non-political crusade for academic improvements at the University of Carabobo in Valencia. But the Merida State authorities said the Amdean University protest march, which degenerated into a riot and led to the death of Bello, was leftist-inspired. President Caldera has ordered an investigation into the circumstances of Bello's death.