Venezuela: Teenager killed as mass protests rage

A teenager has been killed in Venezuela during another day of

mass protests against President Nicolas Maduro, officials say.

Luis Alviarez, 18, was hit in the chest during clashes with police in

the western state of Tachira.

Opposition activists say another protester was also killed in the

state.

They been protesting almost daily for seven weeks to demand

early elections and an end to the country's deep economic crisis.

Nearly 40 people have been killed since the unrest began.

President Maduro has accused the leader of the opposition-led
National Assembly, Julio Borges, of inciting violence by calling
people on to the streets.

The unrest was triggered by a Supreme Court attempt to take
over powers from the assembly on 29 March.

It reversed its decision a few days later but by then the
opposition had seized the momentum.

Despite having the world's largest known oil reserves, Venezuela
is facing a shortage of many basic items, including food and
medicines.

Its economy has collapsed, with inflation expected to top 700%
this year, and crime is rampant.

The opposition says the socialist governments of Mr Maduro and
his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, have mismanaged the
economy since coming to power in 1999.

It is calling for early elections and the release of opposition
politicians jailed over the past few years.

Mr Maduro accuses the country's business elite of boycotting the
economy to create unrest and topple his democratically elected

government. His term ends in January 2019.