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Venezuela’s “mother of all marches” leaves at least three dead

Two students and one National Guard sergeant were killed during a massive anti-government protest in Venezuela on Wednesday. Tens of thousands of people participated in the protest, which they called “the mother of all marches.”

Protesters say Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has become a dictator. The government blocked attempts to oust him by referendum and delayed elections at the state and municipal levels. Maduro is blamed for the country’s failing economy and shortages of food, medicine, and other basic necessities. The IMF estimates that the country’s inflation rate in 2017 will average around 43,000 percent.

Henrique Capriles, governor of the Venezuelan state Miranda and an opposition leader, called for another protest on Thursday. “Same place, same time,” said Capriles. “If we were millions today, tomorrow we’ll be more.”