Thousands of backers of Venezuelas former leaderNicolas Maduro, who was ousted in a deadlyUS militaryoperation, marched in Caracas on Tuesday to demand his freedom.
Venezuela needs Nicolas, chanted the crowd, a month to the day since he was spectacularly toppled and whisked away to stand trial on drug charges in New York.
Interim presidentDelcy Rodriguezhas been walking a tightrope since then trying to hold on to support from Washington but also from Maduro acolytes in her government and the Venezuelan people.
Several demonstrators, many of them public sector workers, held photos of Maduro and of his wife, Cilia Flores, who was also seized in the US raid.
The march, called by the government, stretched for several hundred metres, accompanied by trucks blaring music.
These people are notAmerican, said Maduros son, Nicolas Nicolasito Maduro Guerra, a deputy inVenezuelas National Assembly.
We have achieved a profound anti-imperialist consciousness.
Many protesters waved Venezuelan flags and were dressed in the red colours of the ruling Chavista movement named after Maduros socialist predecessor,Hugo Chavez.
We feel confused, sad, angry. There are a lot of emotions, said Jose Perdomo, a 58-year-old municipal employee who also declared his backing for the decisions taken by our interim president, Delcy Rodriguez.
He added that sooner or later they will have to free our president.
Read moreVenezuela frees prominent human rights activist Javier Tarazona
Prosperous and democratic
Rodriguez was a staunch backer of Maduro and served as his vice president.
US PresidentDonald Trumphas said he is willing to work with her as long as she toes Washingtons line, particularly on granting access toVenezuelas vast oil reserves.
Under pressure, Rodriguez has started freeing political prisoners and opened Venezuelas nationalised hydrocarbons industry to private investment.
The countries have rekindled diplomatic relations severed in 2019 after Maduro was accused of stealing his first re-election, with American envoy Laura Dogus arrival in Caracas on Saturday.
On Tuesday, in a video issued by the US mission, she pointed to a three-phase plan for the crisis-stricken South American country, ending in the transition to a friendly, stable, prosperous anddemocraticVenezuela.
Rodriguez confirmed the meeting, calling it a frank conversation.
Read moreVenezuela approves oil sector privatisation in major policy shift
Freedom in the streets
Earlier on Tuesday, hundreds of university students and relatives of political prisoners also marched in the capital, calling for the quick approval of an amnesty law promised by Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said Tuesday she is working intensely on the amnesty law that would allow us, in this whole period of political violence, of extremism, to carry out a national policy.
The law has not yet come before parliament, whose leader is the acting presidents brother, Jorge Rodriguez, another staunch Chavista and Maduro backer.
Opposition deputy Stalin Gonzalez told AFP he expects the first debate on amnesty to be brought to the floor on Thursday.
I hope that the amnesty opens the door to reconciliation, coexistence, peace and democracy, he said.
Anti-governmentprotestshad been rare since the crackdown on demonstrations against Maduros contested claim to anotherre-electionin 2024.
More than 2,000 people were jailed at the time.
Freedom is in the streets and no one can stop it! chanted the crowd.
The opposition in Venezuela has been calling for fresh elections to be held afterMaduros ouster.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Originally published on France24
