Death Toll in Venezuela Protests Rises to 12

Two people were killed in anti-government protests in Venezuela on Monday, bringing this month’s death toll to 12. The victims were identified as a 42-year-old man who died from a gunshot wound to the neck at a rally in support of President Nicolas Maduro, and a 54-year-old man shot in the chest during a protest in Barinas. Seven other people were reportedly injured in separate incidents. The latest deaths come as protests enter into their fourth week, with demonstrators promising mass sit-ins in a bid to get the government to hold early elections. The unrest escalated last month after the Supreme Court stripped the opposition-controlled congress of its powers, a move that was later reversed after thousands of protesters took to the streets. Opposition protesters accuse Maduro of leading a dictatorship and are demanding early elections and the release of jailed activists. More than 1,400 people have been arrested in connection with the recent riots, which are thought to be the worst since 2014, when 43 people were killed in protests against Maduro.