Boy killed in Venezuela riots, four dead overall: officials

CARACAS: Opponents of Venezuela's government said Wednesday a teenage boy was shot dead in fresh protests against President Nicolas Maduro, one of four people killed in a week of unrest.

State prosecutors confirmed that a teenage boy was one of two new victims in recent clashes, bringing the total toll from nearly a week of protests to four.

Opposition lawmaker Alfonso Marquina identified the teenage victim as 14-year-old Brayan Principal, saying he was killed during unrest in the western city of Barquisimeto on Tuesday night.

The prosecution service said in a statement that the boy killed in Barquisimetro was 13 years old. It added that a 36-year-old man had also been killed in Barquisimeto.

The boy "was shot in the abdomen last night," Marquina said.

He blamed the death on armed supporters of the government.

Two 19-year-old students were killed during earlier unrest, one on April 6 and one on April 11, according to authorities.

Maduro is fighting efforts to oust him as Venezuela, once a booming oil exporter, struggles with shortages of food and medicine and a wave of violent crime.

Dozens of people have been injured and more than 100 arrested, according to authorities.