VENEZUELAN state officials confirmed on Thursday that the right-wing opposition’s current wave of violent protests has led to five deaths in the past fortnight.

Far-right Popular Will party youth organiser Hasler Iglesias blamed President Nicolas Maduro’s administration for the deaths, claiming: “These are the dictatorship’s assassinations.”

Opposition National Assembly member Alfonso Marquina echoed these allegations, alleging that “police are terrorising our communities.”

Discussion website Question Digital attributes two deaths to police officers, both of whom were arrested, and two from direct and indirect actions by opposition supporters, with the fifth still in doubt.

An 83-year-old woman with hydrocephalus died on April 10 when an opposition road blockade prevented ambulances from taking her to hospital.

Bryan Principal, aged 13, was shot dead by opposition activists the following day when they broke into the Ali Primera Socialist City where he lived and opened fire.

The opposition plans what it calls “the mother of all marches” next Wednesday April 19.