Opposition Lawmakers Trapped Within Parliamentary Building as Pro-Government Lawmakers Throw 'Explosive Devices' Outside

Opposition lawmakers, journalists and employees were trapped within the confines of Venezuela’s Parliament on June 27 as pro-government demonstrators surrounded the building and launched explosive devices near its vicinity.According to reports from El Nacional and El Carabobeno, the area around the Federal Legislative Palace in Caracas was chaotic as nearly a dozen “mortar-type” explosives were launched into the surrounding gardens. Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) officers, tasked with guarding the National Assembly officials trapped within the Federal Legislative Palace, were “impassive” as the violence occurred, opposition lawmaker Henry Ramos Allup tweeted.The chaos began at about five in the afternoon, El Nacional reported, and had not abated by 9:30 pm. The violence reportedly sparked when GNB troops beat at least three deputies and journalists inside the Federal Legislative Palace when they asked for an explanation on several briefcases that had been brought into the parliamentary building by the guardsmen. The briefcases were identified as containing election material belonging to Venezuela’s National Electoral Council. Credit: Twitter/GabyGabyGG via Storyful