Photographer Ronaldo Schemidt snapped the photo as a group of protesters were trying to destroy a police motorcycle and the gas tank exploded.

Investigators believe prisoners started the blaze that killed 68 people in one of the worst jail fires in Venezuela's history by setting some mattresses on fire, the country's chief prosecutor said.

Venezuela's constitutional assembly has ordered presidential elections by April 30 as the ruling socialist party seeks to consolidate its grip on power amid a worsening economic crisis.

The European Union is banning arms sales to Venezuela and setting up a system to restrict travel and freeze assets of some Venezuelan officials to ramp up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro.

The news comes in response to an invitation from the Dominican Republic to explore the possibility of resuming talks on resolving the country's political upheaval.

Prominent Venezuelan opposition activist Lilian Tintori claims she has been barred from leaving the country for planned meetings with leaders from France, Germany, Spain and the UK.

Venezuela's pro-government constitutional assembly is taking over the powers of the opposition-led congress.

Venezuela's high court has issued an arrest order for the ousted chief prosecutor's husband after authorities accused him of running a US$6m extortion ring.

US vice president Mike Pence has tried to strike a balance between Latin American opposition to US military intervention in neighbouring Venezuela, and his boss Donald Trump's assertion that action is an option.

President Nicolas Maduro has vowed that anti-government fighters who attacked a Venezuelan army base will get the "maximum penalty" as his administration roots out his enemies.

Venezuelan opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez has been returned home after being taken back to jail nearly a week ago.

Venezuela's ruling party has installed a new super assembly that supporters promise will bring peace to the country and critics fear will be a tool for imposing dictatorship.

Venezuela's chief prosecutor is seeking a court order to block Friday's planned installation of a nearly all-powerful assembly to rewrite the country's constitution.

The official count of Venezuelans who participated in the election of an all-powerful constituent assembly was tampered with - off by at least one million votes - the head of a voting technology company said.

The US has hit Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with financial sanctions after an election to rewrite the constitution.

A leading activist and an opposition candidate have been killed as voting gets underway in Venezuela for a controversial new assembly.

A few thousand protesters have attempted to reach Venezuela's Supreme Court before clashing with national guardsmen, who responded by launching tear gas.

A nationwide strike against plans to rewrite the constitution shut down much of Venezuelan's capital before erupting into violence that left at least two young men dead.

Venezuelan opposition leaders have called for supporters to escalate street protests after more than 7.1 million people rejected a government plan to rewrite the constitution and consolidate its power.

The ruling clique is prolonging the agony by rejecting a democratic transition. The desperate, and repressed Venezuelan people deserve their country back, writes Enrique ter Horst.            

A Venezuelan minister has denounced the international community for not condemning the actions of a helicopter pilot the government accuses of using gunfire and grenades to attack the Supreme Court and Interior Ministry.

At least 12 people have been killed following looting and violence in Venezuela's capital amid a spiralling political crisis in the South American country.

Thousands of protesters demanding new elections have faced off with security forces who launched tear gas and stood shoulder-to-shoulder blocking roads in the Venezuelan capital.

Ecstatic opposition leaders vowed to use their new majority in Venezuela’s legislature to free jailed opponents of the Socialist government, but also said they would not move to dismantle popular welfare policies.

Venezuela’s opposition has won control of the National Assembly by a landslide, delivering a major setback to the ruling party and altering the balance of power after 17 years of socialist rule.

People in Venezuela took to the polls yesterday in what seems to have become a tightening race for control of the country’s national legislature.

Some of the more unusual news from around the globe.

VENEZUELA: A woman who bashed President Nicolas Maduro on the head with a mango has been promised a new house for her troubles in a surreal tropical tale that has gone viral in Venezuela.

A Venezuelan supermarket chain that officials accuse of hoarding products will be brought into the state food distribution system.

Venezuela’s economy is struggling to emerge from a deep recession but President Nicolas Maduro said the crisis engulfing the oil-rich nation could have been a lot worse.

ENGLAND: Hapless jobseekers are using their CVs to boast that their “outside interests” include browsing Facebook, sleeping and watching TV, according to a new poll.

EYES ON THE PRIZE

The Venezuelan government has started to fingerprint shoppers at some state-run supermarkets in a plan to combat food scarcity.

LANDLORD FINED

A university student beauty queen was mourned yesterday in the provincial Venezuelan city where she was killed this week during a political protest.

The Venezuelan military planned to send additional troops to a border region where unrest has been particularly fierce, officials said.

Held at a military jail, opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez waited to learn if he will be charged for violence that has erupted during protests in Venezuela.

Hundreds of Venezuelans paid their final respects to a popular actress whose killing in front of her five-year-old daughter has reignited debate about the nation’s rampant crime.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is known for his devotion to late leader Hugo Chavez – and admits he sometimes sleeps in the mausoleum where his mentor’s remains are kept.

The Irish Government should treat whistleblower Edward Snowden’s asylum plea with the same creativity as the Jack Charlton era, it has been claimed.

Secrets whistleblower Edward Snowden’s best chance of finding refuge may hinge on the president of Venezuela, who is in Moscow meeting president Vladimir Putin.

Politicians brawled in Venezuela’s parliament yesterday amid rising tension over the nation’s presidential election.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned yesterday that he could cut off oil exports to the US if Washington continues trying to destabilise his left-leaning government.