In Pictures: Venezuela's protests escalate

Ongoing unrest across the country sets the streets on fire as violence threatens to spiral further.

Caracas, Venezuela - Political unrest and sporadic outbursts of violence have wracked parts of Venezuela since February 12. The story isn't new - members of the country's opposition claim the government is acting in an undemocratic way; supporters of President Nicholas Maduro say a vocal minority which can't win victories at the ballot box is attempting to cause chaos in the streets. Government supporters were quiet on Wednesday and Thursday in the capital, but in Altamira Square, an opposition stronghold in eastern Caracas, student protesters burned rubbish and occasionally clashed with police on Wednesday and Thursday. "We don't understand what they are trying to achieve by lighting fires on the streets," Omar Nasser, a pro-government activist told Al Jazeera. "They don't have a constructive or clear political project. They don't ask for anything when they protest." After winning an election last year by a thin margin, Maduro and his governing socialists can't be challenged at the ballot box until 2016. Some opposition supporters say they can't wait that long for change and want Maduro to resign now. Others say they are fed up with insecurity, inflation and other social problems they say are worsening. "There are many reasons for the protests: a lack of security, a bad economy and scarcity," Rey Quiros, a 27-year-old salesman, told Al Jazeera on Wednesday as he watched the demonstrations with a group of friends. Pro-government candidates won more than three quarters of municipal seats in local elections in December, leading socialist supporters to say the opposition should get off the streets and find a way to better appeal to people. Both sides agree that the situation could spiral out of control, but for now the demonstrations are relatively small compared with past mobilisations in the country with the world's largest oil reserves. Several people have, however, died across the country in ongoing political violence.

View As Slideshow >> /AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd Members of a pro government "colectivo", march in downtown Caracas, Venezuela on Thursday. /AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd President Nicolas Maduro and his supporters say the escalating protests against his socialist government in the oil rich but economically struggling country are part of an attempted coup sponsored by right wing and "fascist" opponents in Venezuela and abroad /Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters Venezuelan security forces and demonstrators faced off in streets blocked by burning barricades in several provincial cities on Thursday as protests escalated against President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government. /AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd Following a dramatic surrender and a night in jail, Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was due in court Wednesday to learn what charges he may face for allegedly provoking violence during protests against the socialist government in the divided nation. /Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters Supporters of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez shout during a rally to promote peace in Caracas. /AP Photo/Fernando Llano A demonstrator waves a Venezuelan flag upside down near a barricade in La Boyera neighborhood in Caracas. /Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters At least five people have died since protests turned violent last week, with scores injured and arrested. The banner reads "I declare myself in civil disobedience." /AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd The demonstrators, mainly students, blame the government for violent crime, high inflation, shortages of many products and the alleged repression of opponents. /Stringer/Reuters Opposition supporters in San Cristobal, some 410 miles (660 km) southwest of Caracas, stand over a monument of a tank which they dragged into the middle of the street during a protest against Nicolas Maduro's government. /AP Photo/Alejandro Cegarra An opposition demonstrator holds a poster that reads in Spanish "They are killing us" outside the Venezuelan Military Industries (CAVIM) in Caracas. Venezuelan opposition leaders condemned the government Thursday for its heavy handed attempt to subdue a protest movement with nighttime sweeps that have turned many parts of the country into dangerous free fire zones.