Tensions continue to rise in Venezuela this week.
Anti-governments protests continue in the country and riots broke out in pockets of Caracas after a pro-government militia stormed congress and beat up several opposition lawmakers on Wednesday. Both sides are accusing each other of trying to stage a military coup. Since the most recent wave of violence and protesting broke out in April more than 90 people have been killed.
President Nicolás Maduro is working to rewrite the Venezuelan constitution right now but in a recent poll from Datanalisis 7 in 10 Venezuelans don’t want a new founding document. Calls for a referendum on a new constitution have been rejected by President Maduro, so the opposition is planning an unofficial vote on July 17.
Guests:
Daniel García Marco, correspondent for BBC World Service and BBC Mundo in Caracas, Venezuela; he tweets
Miguel Tinker Salas, professor of Latin American History and Chicano Latino studies at Pomona College; his expertise includes culture and politics in Venezuela; he is also the author of three books on Venezuela, including, “Venezuela: What Everyone Needs to Know” (Oxford University Press, 2015)