2 More Anti-Gov’t Protesters Killed in Venezuela

Two more people, including a teenager, have been shot dead during anti-government protests in Venezuela.

Yeison Mora Castillo, 17, was killed during demonstrations in central Barinas state, while Diego Arellano, 31, died on the operating table after being shot in Miranda state, BBC reported.

Their names bring to four the number killed in the past 24 hours.

It is believed that 42 people have died since the near daily demonstrations began seven weeks ago.

Protesters are demanding early elections and an end to the country’s deep economic crisis.

Luis Almagro, the head of the Organization of American States and one of President Nicolas Maduro’s harshest international critics, called for the government to be held to account over the deaths.

“They cannot go on killing and torturing people, and getting away with it,” he said.

Authorities had already announced the deaths of Luis Alviarez, 17, and Diego Hernandez, 33, who were fatally injured on Monday.

A 27-year-old police officer is being charged in connection with Hernandez’s death, the prosecutors’ office announced on its Twitter account.

The crisis in Venezuela was due to be discussed by the UN Security Council at a meeting in New York later on Wednesday.

Despite having the world’s largest known oil reserves, Venezuela is facing a shortage of many basic items, including food and medicines.

Its economy has collapsed, with inflation expected to top 700% this year, and crime is rampant.

The opposition is calling for early elections and the release of opposition politicians jailed in recent years, saying the socialist governments of Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, have mismanaged the economy since coming to power in 1999.

Maduro accuses the country’s business elite of boycotting the economy to create unrest and topple his democratically elected government. His term ends in January 2019.