“A throng of protesters demanding food made a run for the Venezuelan presidential palace Thursday in a rare, apparently spontaneous outburst of anger at the socialist administration within the heart of Caracas. More than 100 people charged down the main thoroughfare in central Caracas chanting “No more talk. We want food”. They got within about a half dozen blocks of the palace before police in riot gear headed them off and began firing tear gas. Police pushed the crowd back as some demonstrators kicked their plastic shields while more officers ran to the scene and filled in the streets between the protesters and the palace. Onlookers leaned out of windows banging pots and yelling insults at the police. The economically depressed county has seen near-daily spontaneous protests in recent weeks over shortages of food and medicine, rolling power blackouts, and poor access to running water. Venezuela's political opposition has tried to keep a lid on violence and channel growing frustration with President Nicolas Maduro by staging several large demonstrations demanding a recall referendum to cut short his term. But the government appears determined to avert an electoral fight, even after the opposition's landslide win in December's congressional elections.

Protesters said the incident began at a nearby supermarket when it appeared people affiliated with the government were taking away the subsidized food those in line had been waiting for hours in the oppressive heat to buy. “We have needs, too. We all need to eat” said Jose Lopez, 23, who joined dozens of the protesters who ran toward the presidential palace. Lopez and other protesters said they were neither members of the opposition nor supporters of the government, just people trying to feed themselves. Unlike the organized protests, which draw largely from what's left of Venezuela's middle class and are never allowed by police to reach the president palace, the disturbance Thursday was driven mostly by people from the slums overlooking downtown and who form the core of the government's support. As such, it revived the specter of the so-called Caracazo, a four-day convulsion of looting in 1989 that left hundreds dead and is seared in Venezuela's national memory”. – Hannah Dreier via The Associated Press



Bolivarian National Guards detain a man during a protest by people demanding food, a few blocks from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. Venezuela is seeing rising frustration with widespread food shortages and triple-digit inflation. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





A woman kicks the shield of a National Guard soldier as others push them back them during a protest demanding food, a few blocks from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





Bolivarian National Guards fire rubber bullets at people protesting for food, a few blocks from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





A man throws tear gas back at Bolivarian National Police as clashes break out during a protest demanding food, a few blocks from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





People call others in apartment and office buildings to join their protest demanding food, a few blocks from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





A demonstrator yells during a protest demanding food near Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





People confront police during a protest demanding food, a few blocks from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





A National Bolivarian Police officer rescues a man who was being attacked by protesters, who then threw rocks at them, during a protest demanding food a few blocks from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





People scatter as Bolivarian National Police fire tear gas at their protest to demand food, a few blocks from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





A woman confronts a National Guard soldier during a protest demanding food, a few blocks from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





Demonstrators yell “We want food!” during a protest a few blocks from Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)





People run away from police (on motorcycle) during riots for food in Caracas, Venezuela, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Marco Bello/Reuters)





Venezuelan National Guards detain a protester during riots for food in Caracas, Venezuela, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Marco Bello/Reuters)





People shout at Venezuelan National Guards (not pictured) during riots for food in Caracas, Venezuela, June 2, 2016. (Photo by Marco Bello/Reuters)