Venezuela faces surge in protests over elections, wages, and power outages

Venezuela is experiencing widespread social unrest characterized by multiple waves of protests across various sectors. In Caracas, demonstrators gathered at the National Electoral Council (CNE) to demand free elections and the release of political prisoners. Simultaneously, oil workers and retirees protested at PDVSA headquarters, citing stagnant wages, the expiration of collective bargaining agreements, and political dismissals. Union leaders have called for immediate negotiations to address labor rights and economic grievances.

Beyond labor and political demands, citizens in states such as Aragua, Carabobo, Zulia, and Cojedes have taken to the streets to protest prolonged power outages, with some reports citing blackouts lasting up to 19 hours. These demonstrations have included road blockades and ‘cacerolazos’. Additionally, retirees and pensioners have organized marches to demand improved social benefits and pension adjustments in response to the country's economic crisis.