Venezuela cracks down on violent protests - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Venezuela cracks down on violent protests - Americas - Al Jazeera English:

 Venezuelan riot police have used teargas and water cannon to break up protests in the capital Caracas.

Violence broke out on Saturday after supporters and opponents of the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro staged rival rallies, AFP news agency reported.

It was the latest in a wave of demonstrations that has left three people dead, 60 injured and about 100 arrested.

On Saturday Maduro told thousands of people attending his rally that a police manhunt was underway for the opposition leader, Leopoldo Lopez.

He said Lopez had "ordered all these violent kids, which he trained, to destroy the prosecutor's office and half of Caracas and then goes into hiding".

He denounced what he called a US-backed "fascist" plot to oust him from power and challenged Lopez: "Turn yourself in coward."