Posted July 06, 2017 09:03:24

Pipe-wielding government supporters have burst into Venezuela's opposition-controlled Congress, witnesses say, attacking politicians and journalists in the latest flare-up of violence during a political crisis.

By mid-afternoon, about 100 people were still besieging the building, trapping people inside.

Some of the those outside brandished pistols and some shouted they would cut water and power supplies, witnesses said.

The crowd gathered from early outside the National Assembly building in downtown Caracas, chanting in favour of President Nicolas Maduro.

By late morning, several dozen people ran past the gates with rudimentary weapons and went on the attack.

They injured at least three opposition politicians who stumbled bloodied and dazed around the assembly's corridors, witnesses said. Some journalists also were robbed.

Local media blamed the attack on pro-government militias.

The worst-hurt politicians, Federico De Grazia, was hit on the head, fell unconscious, and was eventually taken by stretcher to an ambulance.

His family later said he was no longer in a critical condition and being stitched up.

President condemns 'strange' behaviour

Photo: Opposition politician Franco Casella tries to fight off a masked government supporter. (AP: Fernando Llano)

"This is Venezuela today," said Freddy Guevara, the assembly vice president and opposition leader.

"Criminals attack the National Assembly, the armed forces are complicit in this madness, but the people and the lawmakers resist and advance."

Hugo Chavez launched a socialist revolution after he was elected in 1998, but under successor Nicolas Maduro, the oil-rich country has become a failing state.

Throughout the day, explosions apparently from fireworks were occasionally heard around the Congress building.

Downtown Caracas is a traditional stronghold for the Government and there has been a string of melees there since the opposition thrashed the ruling Socialist Party in December 2015 parliamentary elections.

In a speech during a military parade for Independence Day, Mr Maduro condemned the "strange" violence in the assembly and asked for an investigation.

But he also challenged the opposition to speak out about violence from within its ranks.

During three months of anti-government unrest that has killed at least 90 people, young demonstrators have frequently attacked security forces with stones, homemade mortars and bombs, and burned property.

Photo: Opposition politician Americo De Grazia was injured in the brawling. (AP: Fernando Llano)

They killed one man by dousing him in gasoline and setting him on fire.

"I want peace for Venezuela," Mr Maduro said. "I don't accept violence from anyone."

Maduro opponents are demanding general elections to end socialist rule and solutions to the OPEC nation's brutal economic crisis.

The Government says the opposition is seeking a violent coup with US support.

Helicopter attacker vows to fight on

Earlier, the Venezuelan police officer who staged a helicopter attack on government buildings in Caracas last week appeared in an internet video vowing to continue fighting.

"Once again we are in Caracas, ready and willing to continue our struggle for the liberation of our country," police pilot Oscar Perez said in the video, wearing a military uniform and wool cap, with a Venezuelan flag and rifle behind him.

Perez had not been seen since he hijacked a helicopter last week and flew through Caracas pulling a "freedom" banner.

He opened fire and dropped grenades on the Interior Ministry and Supreme Court but nobody was injured.

Mr Maduro, 54, the successor to Hugo Chavez, called that attack a terrorist assault to overthrow him and lambasted Western nations for not condemning it.

But many government critics doubt the official version, and some even suggested it may have been staged to divert attention from the country's economic and political crises.

Reuters

Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, unrest-conflict-and-war, law-crime-and-justice, venezuela