2 more protesters die as anti-Maduro violence rage in western Venezuela

Two people were killed and several injured as another round of protests erupted against President Nicolas Maduro in western Venezuela on Monday, 15 May.

Diego Hernandez, 33, and Luis Alviarez, 18, were killed in separate demonstrations, officials said. Around 40 people have died since the unrest began in March when the Supreme Court tried to take over powers from the assembly.

In the latest incident, demonstrators reportedly clashed with the police and national guardsmen, throwing rocks and setting an armoured truck on fire. White tear gas and rubber bullets were used on the protesters, the Associated Press reported.

Maduro's government is facing pressure from its neighbors as well as from international community to control the unrest. Representatives from 18 members of the Organization of American States (OAS) voted on Monday to hold a rare foreign ministers' meeting on 31 May to discuss Venezuela's political crisis.

Venezuela had announced in late April that it would be leaving the OAS.

The European Union has also called for elections in the country, in what is reported to be the union's most outspoken statement on the issue so far.

Most Venezuelans want Maduro to step down as the rate of violent crime has risen since his tenure began and the economy has fallen apart. Even after having world's largest oil reserves, shortage of basic food and medical supplies has created distress among the people.

Former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles said the opposition would take its protests "to another stage" as Maduro continues his push to rewrite the nation's constitution.

"We are against this fraudulent process," Capriles said on his radio broadcast.

Maduro has accused the country's business elite of boycotting the economy to create unrest. His term ends in January 2019.