Protestors continue to stream unto the streets seeking to change the path of the nation. Despite the arrival of Carnaval and the government decreeing Feb. 27 and 28 as holidays, the opposition reappeared on the streets demanding change. To celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Caracazo, students marched all over Venezuela flouting the government's demands for a cease to the protests.

Caracazo began on Feb. 27 and ended on March 8. The waves of protests, which began as a response to the government's economic reforms and the ensuing higher gas and transportation prices, led to mass protests around the nation. The government of President Perez, unable to calm the people and quickly decide how to manage the situation, opted to suspend parts of the constitution and violently suppressed the protests. At the end up to 300 people were dead.

Twenty-five years later, history repeats itself. Venezuelans again protest the government's economic programs and the aftermath of its decisions. The marches of this past Feb. 27 saw students and opposition supporters march all across Venezuela. Luis Remiro, a 20-year-old student of the Universidad Central de Caracas, has been part of the protests and marched that day.

"The student movement called for a concentration to the east of the city, after several groups of radicals, who cannot be denied exist on both sides, blocked the Francisco Fajardo highway as a protest and the state police body (the GNB) brutally attacked those who were there," said Remiro. He added that the National Guard "continued to throw tear bombs one after the other" as the protesters retreated.

Some believe the protesters will not garner enough support from the people. On Tuesday, President Maduro said at a rally, "Now they want to blame me if there are shortages, but they are the ones who don't let through the trucks with rice, grains, milk and flour." But the protests adapted to the situation.

Student protester and journalist Edgar Higuerey explained, "With the beginning of the holiday, what the government sought was to demobilize the opposition. In response, the opposition adjusted its protesting agenda depending on the entity of where the protests were to take place." Because of Carnaval, he explained, the capital is empty so protesters can be easily seen. "In other states like Anzoategui, which is on the coast and therefore is a safe destination because of its beautiful beaches during these dates, the opposition has been charged with to demonstrate against vacationers." He adds that roads were blocked with crosses and tombstones stuck onto the sand.

As the protests during this week continue into the next, the opposition plans ahead for the future. According to Higuerey, "One of the principal objectives of the Board of Democratic Unity (MUD) and the student movement is to take the manifestations to the poor areas." Despite the threat of action by chavista supporters, according to Higuerey, the students will try to bring the protests there. Remiro explains the situation more. He says that the opposition is already present in the poorer areas.

"There has already been a lot more activity in the poorer neighborhoods and an emphasis has been placed on setting up assemblies in the poorer areas with a student presence to inform them what the protests are about."

Remiro adds, "One of the biggest problems has been misinformation, here people think that student movement aims to overthrow the government or something of that sort but those are NOT our objectives and our methods of fighting is not the violence nor the guarimbas. We demand that the public powers whose terms have long expired be replaced; we ask for justice for our fallen comrades; we ask that the government respond to all the problems that plague us: shortages and insecurity; and the release of the students who have been detained for exercising their right to protest."

As a new week begins, the protests will continue. Remiro says that Monday's protests will concentrate on the Plaza Alfredo Sadel and during the week there will be a march in solidarity with the Andean populace. "Here we have seen changes not only because the mobilizations over time have garnered more people but also thanks to the continuous presence of the people on the street has managed to deprieve various national guardsmen who shot at protesters on February 12 of their freedom!"

Reports confirm that multiple members of the security forces have been detained, according to the Venezuelan Attorney General Luisa Ortega Diaz, because of their alledged violent acts against protesters, including homicide. Among those aprehended are 11 members of different police groups, three members of the National Guard (GNB), and eight members of the National Intelligence Service (Sebin). One of the National Guardsmen detained was Josneidy Castillo, who has been accused of violently attacking student protester Marvinia Jimenez in Valencia. 

"Here we are aware that the fight is not between the opposition and the chavistas," added Remiro. "This is a fight between the government and the people. We still have some way to go but we will not abandon the streets."