Huge Crowds March on Venezuelan Capital in Hopes of Recalling President Nicolás Maduro

Every year, more than 45 million people move to new towns, new states, and perhaps even new countries. Recently, though, few people are moving to the once most affluent area in Latin America, Venezuela.

“I used to live here, now I only survive,” said Alirio Alvarado, a Venezuelan fish farmer.

However, his feed ran out, his ponds dried up, and his fish died.

According to The Washington Post, tens of thousands of protesters in Caracas, Venezuela lined the streets in late August in a major demonstration to protest President Nicolás Maduro.

The “Taking of Caracas” demonstration is an ongoing fight to combat the socialist “revolution” started by Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, in 1999. After years of extreme corruption, Maduro is now at the helm of one of the worst economic, social, and medical crises the country has ever seen.

“There’s no eggs, there’s no chicken, there’s nothing here,” yelled one protester.

“We are going to defeat hunger, crime, inflation, and corruption,” said another protester, Naty Gutierrez. “They’ve done nothing in 17 years. Their time is finished.”

According to the BBC, in 2014, when a similar antigovernment protest erupted in Venezuela, 43 people were killed.

So far, Maduro and the Venezuelan government arrested several prominent activists over the last few days to limit the opposition. Shops throughout Caracas closed down before the protest because of the fear of violence.

Mauro said the protesters capped out at around 30,000, but it was estimated that the opposition crowds neared 1 million protesters.

“Today is the beginning of the final stage of our fight,” said Jesus Torrealba, secretary general of the Democratic Unity alliance. There will be replies on September 7 and 14 to press authorities to quickly establish a referendum that would rid Maduro of his presidency.

“This government ruined this country, and this man [Maduro] is only intimidating Venezuelans,” said Luis González, a 63-year-old welder from one of the poorest towns in Venezuela.