VOA慢速英语2017--Venezuelans Promise To Continue Protests

 

Opponents of the Venezuelan government have promised to continue street protests aimed at forcing out President Nicolas Maduro.

The opposition¹ warning came a day after at least two people were killed and hundreds arrested in Venezuela’s largest anti-government demonstrations² in years.

Thousands of Venezuelans filled the main streets of the capital, Caracas, on Wednesday. Many demonstrated in support of the president. Many others protested against Maduro and socialist³ policies.

Security forces armed with tear gas were deployed⁴ in a neighborhood on the west side of Caracas. One teenager shot in the head near an anti-government protest died while doctors operated on him. Pro-government militias⁵ were blamed for his death, as well as the killing⁶ of a woman in the city of San Cristobal.

Venezuelan officials are investigating the events leading up to both deaths.

A National Guard soldier was reported killed during protests in Miranda state, near Caracas.

At least eight people have been killed since the political unrest started three weeks ago.

Wednesday’s protest fell on an important date for Venezuelans. On April 19, 1810, Venezuelans began their drive for independence from Spain.

U.S. reaction

In Washington, United States officials are worried the Venezuelan government is working to suppress the opposition.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said “We are concerned that the government of Maduro is violating its own constitution and not allowing the opposition to have their voices heard, nor allowing them to organize in a way that expressed the views of the Venezuelan people.”

“We are concerned about that situation,” he added. “We’re watching it closely and working with others … to communicate those concerns to them.”

Tillerson spoke⁷ at the State Department on Wednesday.

In recent protests, security forces have fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons⁸.

The demonstrations began after a Venezuelan Supreme⁹ Court ruling on March 30. The court said it would take away the legislative¹⁰ powers of the opposition-controlled National Assembly. However, the court overturned its position after national and international criticism about an attempt to seize power.

Opponents call for democratic customs

Maduro's opponents gathered in Caracas on Wednesday to pressure his administration to respect the assembly's autonomy. They also want the government to hold long-delayed elections, free political prisoners and restore other democratic customs.

The National Socialist Party has ruled Venezuela for 17 years. Economic pressures have grown in recent years. The price of oil, Venezuela's chief export, began falling in 2014. Venezuelans also face severe shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

In related news, the American car manufacturer General Motors has stopped doing business in Venezuela after the government took control of its only factory in the country.

In a statement Thursday, the company said vehicles and other property were also seized, “causing irreparable damage to the company.”

Words in this Story

autonomy – n. the power or right of a country or group to govern itself

socialist – adj. of or related to a system in which there is no private property

tear gas – n. a liquid or gaseous¹¹ substance that is used mainly to break up protests; the substance causes an allergic¹² reaction in the body

allow – v. to permit; to let

view – n. the act of seeing or watching something; a pictorial image

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

3 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

4 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

5 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 cannons   

n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

10 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

11 gaseous   

adj.气体的，气态的

参考例句：

• Air whether in the gaseous or liquid state is a fluid.空气，无论是气态的或是液态的，都是一种流体。
• Freon exists both in liquid and gaseous states.氟利昂有液态和气态两种形态。

12 allergic   

adj.过敏的，变态的

参考例句：

• Alice is allergic to the fur of cats.艾丽斯对猫的皮毛过敏。
• Many people are allergic to airborne pollutants such as pollen.许多人对空气传播的污染物过敏，比如花粉。