Caracas, Venezuela, May 3, 2019 / 15:01 pm
Cardinal Baltazar Enrique Porras Cardozo expressed his condolences Thursday to the families of the four youths killed during protests in Venezuela, who he said "lost their lives fighting for a better future."
Nationwide protests occurred this week against the government of president Nicolas Maduro. According to Marco Antonio Ponce, director of the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict, Yosner Graterol, 16; Yoifre Hernández Vásquez, 14; Jurubith Rausseo García, 27; and Samuel Méndez, 24; were all killed by gunfire while protesting this week. Another 50 persons were injured.
"We extend our most sincere condolences to the families of the young people who lost their lives fighting for a better future for Venezuela," Cardinal Porras, Archbishop of Mérida and Apostolic Administrator of Caracas, said on Twitter May 2. "We pray to God that your souls may be at peace and we join with you in these difficult times."
Clashes took place across Venezuela April 30-May 2 after opposition leader Juan Guaidó urged protests against Maduro.